Shadows From the Past
by Erilyn Rose
Summary: It's been three years since Hermione graduated from Hogwart's. Now she's going back because of a request Dumbledore made. Will the one person she longs to see be there as well? Read and find out!
1. Memories

Disclaimer – Anything you see that resembles anything written by JK Rowling is HERS J K? K!

A/N – I hope everyone enjoys this… it's a DM/HG fic. I am working on another piece called TWO WEEKS so if you haven't checked it out yet you should… thought I almost think I like where this one is going more… anyway… read, review (flame if you just HAVE to), and hopefully enjoy!!! Also, if the italics don't show up the sections that have --  in front of them are memories. Sections are (obviously) separated with ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shadows From the Past 

_"Memories"_

            Hermione sat in one of the compartments of the Hogwart's express.  It had been three years since she graduated from Hogwart's and now she was going back for a reunion of sorts. Dumbledore, who was still Headmaster of the school, decided to invite back a few choice students to come live at the school.  In his letter he'd stated that 'after an allotted amount of time has passed I will decided who is best fitted to take over a few choice teaching positions. No one will know the amount of time because I myself do not yet know.'

            Hermione had received the letter by owl almost a month earlier.  She'd often wondered who the other people receiving the letters were and who would show up. She didn't know if Harry or Ron had made it because after they graduated they stopped speaking. She knew why they disliked her now and opened her heart and mind to remember her last days of joy…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            -- She couldn't sleep that night. Only one more week at Hogwart's and she would probably never see these wonderful halls and grounds again. Dumbledore held the graduation ceremony earlier that day and they were given the rest of the week to enjoy Hogwart's for possible the last time. The thought excited and saddened her at the same time. Instead of lying in bed and staring at the ceiling she decided to take a walk. 

_            Though the season was a warm one, the chilly night air nipped at her skin through the light cotton nightgown she wore.  She decided it didn't matter, she wanted to feel everything about this place before leaving, even the air. Being Head Girl she had her own room with a balcony attached. She walked onto the balcony and mounted her old outdated broom. She knew she'd rarely used it but climbed on anyway and slowly floated to the ground below. Once there she leaned it against the wall and began to walk, letting the moisture from the grass gather on her pale feet._

_            She hadn't noticed Draco, who had surprisingly gotten Head Boy, standing in his room ready to walk onto the balcony that adjoined their rooms as well, and so she didn't noticed him follow her. He did follow her with, though he did so quietly so he wouldn't alarm her._

_            When she reached the lake she stopped. A slight breeze flew through causing her to wrap her arms more tightly to her and her long wavy brown hair to flow behind her.  She closed her eyes and let the smells and sounds fill her mind, as if imprinting there as a permanent memory._

_            Draco watched her. All year they'd slept in rooms side by side. Occasionally, when alone, they would talk and act as if there was no rivalry or hatred between them. Other times, when Harry, Ron, or a Slytherin were near they would not speak because they knew if they did they would have to be rude to one another, and for some reason that thought sickened both of them, though they never admitted it to each other._

_            He only had one thought pouring through his mind as he stared at her back. 'It's now or never… don't lose your only chance.' He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything she spoke._

_            "Why did you follow me Draco?" she asked. Her voice was not accusing or mean, but sounded almost hopeful._

_            "How could I not?" he answered simply. She turned and faced him. He stood there wearing black cotton pajama pants and a pair of flip-flops. His white skin shone brightly in the moonlight. She dared to take a few steps forward. Her heart was racing and she did not know why._

_            "You've never seemed to want to before," she said. He realized she was not only referring to tonight, but to the last seven years, particularly the past year._

_            "I was too scared to before," he said also stepping forward a bit. They were now only a step away from being face to face._

_            "What gave you the to courage now?" she asked quietly as her head dropped and she stared at their feet. Draco took this opportunity to cross the space between them as he stepped forward and lifted her chin so their eyes met. He smiled. A sight she'd only been privileged enough to see a few times in her lifetime._

_            "I was scared," he said truthfully. She almost asked scared of what, all though she already know, but he answered before she could ask.  " I was scared that maybe after all these years you wouldn't want me to follow you… I was scared that since we are graduating soon I would never again get the chance… I was scared that if I didn't I would forever regret it…" _

_            Her chin still rested in his hand. Her skin was pale, though compared to Draco's it was not. His platinum blonde hair, which hadn't been slicked back all year, stirred slightly in the breeze. She wanted to reach up and touch it, but she didn't dare to._

_            "You would **regret** not following me?" she asked praying he would answer her the way she wanted._

            "Yes…" a little spark of hope ignited behind her eyes.

_            "Why?" she dared ask as her pulse quickened. At this moment she didn't care about anything except what was happening. She knew in the back of her mind that Harry and Ron would be upset with her. She knew they wouldn't understand, but she didn't care. She just wanted to stay here in the moonlight with Draco Malfoy, and the strange thing about that was, the fact that it was Malfoy didn't seem odd… it felt right._

_            "Why?" he repeated… "Are you sure you want to know? Because once you know there's no turning back…" he said quietly. She smiled at him sweetly, allowing her chin to lightly rise from his hand and then settle back down. She realized she loved the feel of those hands._

_            "I'm sure…" she said staring into his crystal blue-gray eyes as he in turn stared back into her chocolate ones. She felt his hand tremble slightly._

_            "Close your eyes," he said lightly. The thought to distrust him never entered her mind.  She instantly obeyed and waited. _

_            Slowly, trying to savor every aspect of this girl who stood before him, he leaned down. When he almost reached her lips he stopped and looked. He'd noticed her breath had quickened, but realized at the same time his had as well. Very slowly he closed the remaining space between them and allowed his lips the pleasure of brushing against hers. He did not deepen the kiss, nor did she. They stood there, his hand under her chin, their lips locked together. Finally he stepped back and let his hand fall away from her face._

_            Their eyes opened and both seemed speechless. Hermione's skin rejected the loss of his touch. He only waited. It was her move._

_            Without really thinking about it Hermione stepped forward and leaned up towards him. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach, but she succeeded and once again their lips met. There wasn't as much hesitancy in this kiss as their had been the first one. Instead of only allowing their lips to meet, she opened her mouth the slightest bit and kissed only his bottom lip, capturing it between hers. Instinctively his arms went around her waist. She let him pull her close as her arms went around his neck as well. _

_            Very slowly their kiss deepened. It never became heated, but it was passionate. The stayed like that, savoring everything about the person in their arms, for what seemed like hours. _

_            Finally with a small final kiss she pulled away. Her arms, which had encircled his neck, now slowly slipped down to her sides. She allowed herself the luxury of feelings his tight soft skin beneath her fingers. She had not yet allowed herself to touch his hair._

_            Following her example he released her hold on her waist and expected her to back away. She didn't. Instead she stood there and looked up at him._

_            "Is that what you would've regretted not doing?" she asked with a quirky smile playing on her lips. He returned her smile._

_            "Partly yes…" he said. She gave him a quizzical expression, but said nothing. She knew if he wanted to tell her he would, and if not then it was not her business to know.  She stayed silent, unsure of what to do next, but wanting to stay out beside the lake with him forever. _

_            He did not speak. Instead he used his newfound confidence her kisses had inspired and slowly lifted his hand. He let it first trace the knuckles of her hand. It then soft trailed its way up her arm. When he reached the short sleeve of her nightgown it stopped. Once more her body protested the absence of his gentle touch, but it was soon replaced. His hand then found her cheek. _

_            When she felt his hand touch her cheek she automatically leaned into it, while closing her eyes. No one had ever touched her like that. No one had ever been given the chance, but she doubted that anyone could ever touch her like this ever again and have the same effect._

_            He'd never felt anyone so soft before. Her skin looked like porcelain in the moonlight but felt like silk. He would have given anything to keep her there with him forever, but he knew that could not happen. _

_            He then allowed his hand to move back into her auburn hair. It was soft and he ran his fingers through it trying to memorize every strand. Her eyes remained closed._

_            When his fingers became lost in her sea of hair, she noticed her hand was rising as well. She did not stop it. Instead she let it float to his platinum locks.  She was not disappointed. It felt even better than she'd imagined, like the fur of a rabbit, soft and feathery. If her hand could have stayed there forever it would have.  But instead of getting used to the feel of her hand there she forced it to move. _

_            She trailed her fingers down the side of his face and neck. Her eyes remained close so she did not see his eyes close as well. His hand continued to explore the masses of wavy brown hair until he found the back of her head where it stopped to rest._

_            Her fingers, however, did not stop. She let them trail over his broad shoulders and down his arm. When she reached his hand she stopped. Without thinking his hand turned over and their fingers interlaced. Her other hand, which had been patiently waiting by her side, took up the job of feeling him. She put the palm of her hand right below one shoulder and slowly let it drag down his bare chest, feeling his heartbeat and rapid breath as well as his muscular physique. She stopped in the center of his chest, but kept her eyes closed. She felt his beating heart and noticed hers was beating in time with his. She never wanted to leave._

_            She felt a slight pressure on the back of her head and realized he was requesting she come closer, she obliged. Soon their lips met once more and she gave in to the sensation he caused in her. At first she thought it was a sexual desire, but soon realized there was more to it than that. As far-fetched as the thought sounded, even in her own mind, she was falling in love._

_            If he'd known this things would have been different. He'd known for quite some time he'd loved her. Not just the way she looked, but also the way she carried herself, the way she helped others, and the way she seemed to always be happy.  He assumed she was here tonight solely to see how she felt and he doubted she could ever love a monster like him._

_            She felt he could never love her. He would never be able to be with someone who wasn't pureblooded. She didn't want to risk a broken heart, so instead she decided to enjoy his warmth and affection as long as she could._

_            Their kiss began to deepen dangerously. They both knew that if it continued much longer someone would happen that shouldn't. Surprisingly Draco broke the kiss off gently. Before pulling away he leaned in and kissed her forehead while her eyes were still closed. He then leaned back and smiled as her eyes opened to meet his. She smiled in return never relinquishing his hand._

_            It seemed that night bonded them in a way no one else would or could ever understand. They didn't need words that night. Instead, hand in hand they walked to where both of their brooms lay and mounted them. Draco let her kick of lightly first and then followed suit, both landing on the balcony three floors up. Once there Hermione laid her broom down and half expected Draco to just go to his room.  He surprised her again. When she turned around to see if he was still there he was staring at her._

_            "What?" she asked smiling almost nervously. He only smiled and shook his head._

_            "Nothing…" he said and moved towards her. She made no move to stop him. Instead she longed for his touch, if only once more. He walked over to her and did something he'd never done. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her. She hesitantly put her arms around his neck and slowly began to hug him in return. He buried his face in the hair, which had fallen over her shoulder and inhaled her scent. 'Raspberries,' he thought. He knew he would never forget how she smelled._

_            While he silently examined every aspect of her body she did the same. Her face was close to his hair. A slight breeze caused it to move and it brushed against her face. She allowed one of her hands to slowly make its way into her hair as the other moved down his bare back. She felt his muscles flex and relax with her touch and mentally told herself to memorize how he felt, in case she never got to feel him this way again._

_            Without realizing it she shivered. It was midnight now and it had gotten colder. He felt this and smiled. He pulled back from her. She wanted to hold onto him, tell him as long as he held her she wasn't cold. But he smiled and held up one finger._

_            "One second," he said as he disappeared into his room. He returned seconds later holding a bundle that appeared to be black. Upon further inspection she realized it was a hooded sweatshirt. He stood there and waited. "Well…" he said. "I'm waiting."_

_            "For…?" She asked a little confused._

_            "Put your arms up," he ordered playfully. She understood and did as he asked once more. He smiled and slipped the sweatshirt over her head. As it passed over her face she caught a strong whiff of his cologne. She knew she'd never forget that smell and vowed to discover what it was. He'd worn it that day and for some reason that though sent chills down her spine again. He mistook this as shivering. "If you're still cold we can go inside," he offered unsurely_

_"If you want to…" she answered just as cautiously, afraid that if they went in things would happen that weren't meant to. _

_"Only if you're still cold," he said. She looked at him and realized he still had no shirt._

_"Well, I'm the one that's clothed, you're the one who'd half naked," she said glancing at his tight stomach and chest._

_"Well then let's go in so I can be fully clothed all right?" he asked with a lop-sided smile. She smiled and nodded. He took her hand and led her into his room. _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just thinking of that night sent chills down her spine. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the way his hair felt between her fingers, the way his lips had met and accepted hers so softly, the way he'd held her and kept her warm. In her mind the memories did not do it justice and she once again ached for his touch. She hadn't seen him since they graduated a week after that night, and the dull ache in her chest had never left.

            The ache was doubled when she remembered how Harry and Ron had reacted.  She remembered the rest of the week being blissful. She and Draco would stay up late just talking and they would occasionally allow their hands to meet and not part or a gently hug now and again. Once or twice their lips met in a sweet kiss. But Harry and Ron hadn't known about that.

            The night before they were going to leave Hogwart's forever she and Draco were sitting on the balcony talking. She, once again was in her nightgown and his sweatshirt [she hadn't given it back from before and he never asked for it back], and he was in his pajama pants and tee shirt. They were probably sitting closer than was necessary and she'd just allowed her hand to drift near his when two boys on broomsticks suddenly popped up from below the balcony.

            She couldn't remember their words, she wouldn't let herself, all she could remember was they way she felt afterwards… scared… ashamed… alone. They'd flown off into the night and hadn't spoken to her since. She did remember one word Harry spat down at her before taking off… "Traitor…" She remembered crying and Draco being there for through it all. She remembered him holding her and kissing her hair telling her he was sorry, but he would make it be all right. After he tears had subsided he'd walked her to her room where they shared their most passionate kiss. She didn't understand why, but the kiss had seemed desperate, almost as if he expected to never kiss her lips again. Deep down she felt the same and kissed back with as much fervor as he was. 

            She remembered their lips parting and their foreheads resting on one another's.

            "Good night Hermione," he said quietly with his eyes closed. He'd changed so much.

            "Good night Draco…" she said softly.  He leaned up and kissed her forehead, squeezing his eyes shut to remember the feel of her skin against his lips and then he left. She walked into her room and fell back on the bed.

            Thinking back on all this she didn't know why she could remember every action, every move Draco had made, but not even the words Harry and Ron had spoken. It baffled her, but she tried not to dwell on it. Something happened the next day that surpassed even the loss of her friendship with Harry and Ron.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_            -- She awoke the next morning. Her things were already packed and waiting to be taken down to the train. She was about to go take a quick shower when she saw a note on the floor. She got up, still wearing his sweatshirt, and picked up the note. It was folded and her name was neatly written on the front. Without reading it she somehow knew what it said. She closed her eyes as her heart began to beat faster. She opened her eyes along with the note and read:_

_Hermione,_

_ I don't know where to begin.… Who would've thought you and I would share what we did… who would've thought after so many years of hatred we would form a bond that was closer than most people ever dream of having… who would've thought it would be so hard to say goodbye._

_I wish I had the courage to stay and say these things to your beautiful face, but I don't. I don't think I could. I know that I have caused a rift between you, Harry, and Ron… and I know that the only way to fix that is to stay out of your life… I wish there was a way for me to at least stay and be your friend, but if that were to happen you would probably lose the two people you seem to love more than life itself and I could never ask that of you. _

_Before you I never had true friendship… I had people who feared my family or me… You are the only peer I've ever known who sees me as an equal and not as a superior… you don't fear me… and I respect that… you are honestly the best friend I've ever had…_

_I know I can never be your best friend, because that role is already taken, but I can offer you this… I want you to know that, though our paths may never cross again, you will forever be the one person who knows me, because regardless of who happens to cross my path in the future, they will never know the secret to open me up like you did… not ever._

_Even as I write this I fight the urge to rip it up and wait for you to awaken so we can always stay together… even if it is nothing more than friendship… but I know I cannot do that to you. You have a wonderful happy life ahead of you… I don't want to be the one who messes that up._

_Please know that you've touched me in so many ways this last week and I will forever remember every word… every touch… every glance… every breath. My only regret is that I did not realize how wonderfully amazing you are until it was almost too late._

_Please don't hate me… I hope with all my might that as you read my words you don't feel betrayed, but rather you feel as I feel… You, Hermione Granger, will forever hold a place in my heart no one else has ever touched, a place I never knew was there… a place I always want to think about and feel.  I want you to know that, in a way I've never experienced, I love you and I believe I always will._

_The only thing I request of you is that you go to Harry and Ron and patch things up. I don't want to feel responsible for breaking up three of the best friends Hogwart's has ever seen. I know they love you and will understand. I would ask you to owl me with their response, but I know it would be too tempting to come back and find you, and that I something I cannot allow myself to do… for your sake._

_We may come together in the future, but if not, please have a happy life… I know I will think of you every day… and I hope you think of me.  As corny as this may sound, a part of me is forever yours… and so I end this letter to you…_

_Forever Yours,_

_Draco_

_Upon finishing his letter she sat in her room and she cried. She had not cried like that in a long time and was not ashamed to let her tears flow. She slowly stood and crossed the small hallway to Draco's room. The door was open and she walked inside. All his personal belongings were gone except one plain silver ring, which lay on his bedside table. She sat on his bed and as his scent drafted up to her a new wave of tears engulfed her. She reached out and without thinking took the ring and slid it on her left ring finger. It fit perfectly. She somehow knew he'd left it for her._

_She stayed on his bed, trying to inhale as much of his scent as she could before leaving. When it almost time to go she hastily summoned her trunk and did a quick spell so that she was clothed and ready to leave. She went outside to wait for the carriages, which would take them to the Hogwart's Express. When Dumbledore saw her a look of knowing and sadness crossed her face. He knew Draco left, he knew what had transpired between them… he knew it all._

_She didn't bother to disguise the fact that she'd been crying; she saw no point in it. When Harry and Ron saw her, not even a hint of pity or worry crossed their faces, they were like stone._

_She asked to share a carriage with them, the reluctantly agreed. Once in the carriage she explained to them that she was sorry for hurting them. She explained that she loved them and didn't want to lose their friendship, though for some reason she didn't wholeheartedly believe what she was saying. As she told them they were her best friends all she could think of was Draco. She imagined him writing the letter, imagined his expression as he fought to finish it and slide it under her door. Tears welled up in her eyes. _

_At first Harry thought it was because she realized her mistake, but he knew she wouldn't break down like that if that were the reason. They'd had their tiffs before and never had she cried like this. And so he asked her to tell him the truth about why she was crying. So she did._

_"Because he's gone Harry. He left and told me to tell you that I was sorry… to tell you that you are my best friends… but he's gone…"_

_She didn't know what to expect. He'd asked her for the truth and she'd given it to them. The carriage lurched to a halt. She looked up. Harry stood by Ron and both wore grim expressions._

_"If you want him… then go get him… but don't come crying to us when he turns out to be a liar… we won't want you back," Harry spat. Ron merely glared. It seemed he was at a loss for words. They stomped away and did not look back._

_Hermione surprised herself when she realized she did not feel as much remorse about them leaving as she did with the thought of never seeing Draco again. She gathered her trunk and Crookshanks, who she'd almost forgotten about, and boarded the Hogwart's Express.  There she sat alone the entire ride home. Once she reached the station she was the first one off the train. She met her parents with feint smiles and went home with a heavy heart._

_When they arrived she claimed she was tired and went to bed, though it was only 7 o'clock in the evening. She longed to owl Draco and tell him to come find her, she needed him, but she had no means of doing so. Usually she would have borrowed Hedwig after calling Harry, but she could not longer do so. Instead she was forced to be alone and wonder what he was doing._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Hermione had not seen nor heard from Draco since. Every day, as she looked at her silver ring she would remember him, she would remember his sweet words, his gentle touches, his penetrating gazes, and she would read his letter. She charmed it to never fade or rip. Those words, along with her memories and his ring, were her only gateway to sanity. She closed her eyes and remembered his scent. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice the compartment door slide open.

A/N – Okay, so it's a little lengthy for one chapter… but hey, I had to put all that in there… ESPECIALLY the memories so get over it. J I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I am also working on a story called Two Weeks. I don't even know where it's going anymore so… yeah. 


	2. Surprise

Disclaimer – Anything you see that resembles anything written by JK Rowling is HERS J K? K!

A/N – I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1… and I also hope you enjoy Chapter 2 as much if not more. As always please read, review/flame (if you HAVE to) and enjoy!!!

Shadows From the Past "Surprise" 

            They stood and stared at her. She'd changed dramatically over the last three years; they almost didn't recognize her at first. Her hair, which in their memories had always been down and bushy, was now pulled up tightly in a bun, no hair escaped it. Her face was that of stone. They remembered her being more animated, even when asleep, but not now. She showed no expression that they could see.

            Another change they'd noticed was her body. When she graduated, she hadn't yet filled into her womanly curves. She never really seemed extremely feminine to them. But now, even while sitting down, they silently took in every womanly attribute. Her long legs were hidden with the knee length black skirt she wore above almost knee high black lace up boots. She wore a tight fitting tank top with a very high neckline so no cleavage was visible. Both boys admired this and longed to see what was beneath those clothes. For the first time every they wanted to see Hermione Granger in a way no one had ever seen her [all though they didn't know that].

            She felt eyes on her, but thought it was her imagination. She remembered feeling Draco's eyes on her that night at the lake, but this was different, these eyes felt almost hostile. She opened her eyes and looked up. There, in the doorway, stood Harry and Ron.

            At first her heart froze, she hadn't seen them in so long. She expected after all this time they would've forgiven her and she would once again feel her heart expand with love with the sight of them. But she was wrong. When she saw their faces no love or warmth entered her body. It was if they were hostile strangers. She saw in their cold eyes that they'd changed.

            "Hello Hermione," Harry stated coolly. He continued to rudely appraise her body. She noticed this and kept herself from covering herself more adequately. She didn't want him to see her flinch under his now cold stare. Instead she did not move.

            "Hello Harry, Ron," She said civilly. As hard as she tried she could not muster a smile onto her well-shaped lips. Neither noticed she still wore little or no makeup; they were more focused on other parts of her body.

            "You sure have changed Hermione," Harry said as he stared at her chest. She noticed this. She also noticed that Ron still seemed to follow Harry like a lost dog. He rode Harry's tailcoats.

            "So have you." Her voice was cold. She realized the two boys who were once her best friends no longer were.  They were two different people now and she had no desire to be anywhere near them. It was really a shame they would be stuck with her at the school for as long as Dumbledore needed them to be.

            "We thought this compartment was empty, but since it isn't I suppose we'll leave you to your business. See ya around Granger," Harry said airily. 

            _"God" _she thought, _"He sounds like Malfoy used to…"_ The thought of Draco and his absence from her life brought small tears to her eyes. Both Harry and Ron thought they were the cause of her pain and both inwardly gloated at their achievement. She saw this as well but said nothing. _"Let them think they hurt me… it will only hurt them worse to know he did something else they never could."_

            They left without another word. They didn't even bother to close the door behind them. She heard their insignificant laughter as it drifted back to her. The sound of the voices, when once they would have made her heart swell with happiness, now only caused rage and disgust to simmer within her.

            She sat and once again twirled the silver ring on her finger. They only thing that kept her going was the slight hope that maybe Draco would be here somewhere too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            He stood outside Platform 9 ¾. His only possessions were in a small carry all bag he had with him. He had never been scared to go through the platform before. He knew the difference between those times and now. Before, he knew what he would see when he crossed through. Now he was scared of what he wouldn't see. 

            For the past three years she had occupied his every waking thought. He absently touched the silver ring on his left ring finger. He hoped she'd found its mate and taken it, if only for that small reassurance.  He knew that as he went through this gate and into the magic world a torrent of old wounds would open. He was right.

            He stepped through and looked around and at that moment remembered every forgotten insult, every little mean thing he'd said to her while here, which in seven years accumulated to quite a bit. He felt tears threaten to sting his eyes but he held them back. He only cried when no one else could see, and it always for her. 

            Once again he felt his ring, which was usually nothing but cold metal. It was warm. It had never been warm before. For some reason this ignited hope in his heart. 

            He didn't know what the rings did. His great grandfather, before he died, had given them to him. When Draco asked what their power was, his grandfather's reply was this…

            _"You cannot know the power these rings hold… only know this, when you need them they will work. When you are fit to know, you will know. Otherwise the magic will leave them. You will know what to do with the second one when the time comes."_

            Draco had never forgotten those words.  When he left that ring on his bed stand the night he left Hogwart's he'd prayed she would find it. He still did not know the ring's power, he only knew he needed her to have it… to have some piece of him with her.  

            He stood there and stared at the train before him, it was preparing to leave. He didn't think there would be any spare compartment left, and so he resigned himself to wait and look for her when they reached the castle.

            Since he didn't have to store any heavy luggage, he jumped on the train and began looking for an empty car or at least one where people wouldn't mind sharing. As he stepped into the hallway he felt the ring on his hand grow warm, almost uncomfortably so. His mind told him it was his imagination, but his body responded to the ring's silent call. He followed where it led.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            She sat alone still, the door open. She didn't care if anyone saw her anymore. The two people she'd made herself believe she wanted to see were now to two people she never wanted to see again.  She reached down to twirl her ring as she did almost compulsively when she noticed it growing warm. It had never done that before.  

Rather than remove it and see what was wrong with it, she held it in front of her face and looked to see if it were any different. It appeared normal so she lowered it once more. Something slowed her mind. She felt calm, peaceful, and serene. She let the warmth from the ring flow throughout her entire body. Soon she was totally and completely relaxed. She didn't know why the ring was doing this to her now when it could have done this for her hundreds of times in the past when she felt so horrid and lonely, but it was doing it for her now, and she was grateful.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The ring's call became more urgent with every step he took. He no longer looked in to see if there was a free compartment, he merely let the ring lead his feet. As he neared the end of the train the warmth from the ring began to spread through him. He allowed it to do so, knowing it would be fruitless to fight it.

He felt more energetic and more alive than he had since leaving Hogwart's, a feeling of hope burst in his chest. He continued on with vigor and did not notice as a man with black hair stepped in front of him.

All joy seeped from his body as he hit the ground, thankfully his bag was zipped and did not spill.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Harry said from above Draco. He looked up and noticed Harry's green eyes were no longer wide and naïve, now they were filled with hatred. "Draco Malfoy, my tormentor for so many years, how good it is to see you," Harry said with venom dripping from every word.

"Potter," Draco said as he moved to stand. Harry was too quick and soon had his foot on Draco's chest. They both felt the train lurch forward. It caused Harry's foot to dig painfully into Draco's chest. His stomach muscles tightened but he refused to flinch.  Harry leaned down over Draco and pushed harder with his foot. Draco still made no move.

"What is it Malfoy, at a loss for words for once in your puny little life?" Draco kept his silence. He knew no matter what he said Harry would use it against him, and so he decided to keep a clean slate and say nothing. He could tell this was beginning to upset Potter, but he didn't care. All he wanted was his ring to be warm again. "Speak up Malfoy!" Harry bellowed, allowing his anger to show.

_"That's your mistake Potter… that's your weakness… never let your anger show… not ever,"_ Draco inwardly mused. His face appeared to be stone; he let nothing show. Over the past three years he'd learned to mask his feelings, not that many were left. Once Hermione was introduced into his life as Hermione and not Granger, it seemed she needed to be present for the full spectrum of his emotions, particularly the happy ones, to come out.  He couldn't remember being truly happy in the last three years.

He was so caught up in trying to remember a time when he was ever happy that he did not hear Harry yelling at him or notice that Harry's foot had been removed from his chest. He was rudely awoken from his reverie by a sharp kick in the ribs. Instinctively he curled his body around his injured side. He was caught off guard by the next kick, which was aimed at his back. He was prepared by the third kick however and rolled out of the way. 

Harry attempted to kick him again, and despite the pain in his back and side, Draco grabbed Harry's foot and pushed him backwards catching him off balance. Draco used this time to stand and get ready to fight for real.

"That's right Malfoy, stand, it'll make this much more fair… and much more fun," Harry said as he stood. Draco straightened his back even though a bolt of excruciating pain shot between his shoulder blades. He did not show this. He showed only his face of stone. Draco saw Harry's weight shift and knew almost instantly his plan of attack. Their dance had begun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She didn't understand, why was her ring cold as it had been before. The secure feeling was now forgotten and in it's place was the cold loneliness of before. She heard a commotion in the hall, and then a voice.

"That's right Malfoy, stand, it'll make this much more fair… and much more fun."

She recognized that voice; it was Harry. "_Did he just say Malfoy?"_  she thought.

She hadn't been listening to what she assumed was a fight between students in the hall.  It had happened before on the Hogwart's Express and she didn't want to have to be the one to break it up. Then his name had cut through the air like a knife. Malfoy. Now she had to go see.

She stood and stuck her head out of her still opened compartment door. She looked down the hall and saw a crowd of people. They were all trying to see something in front of them. She thought she saw two people in the center of others. She saw on the ground a flash of platinum blonde hair and her ring grew warm.  Suddenly, the blonde was yanked from her view and was replaced by hair the color of oil.

Without realized what she was doing she began to run down the hall. It was further away than it seemed. When she reached the throng of people who'd gathered to see the fight she began pushing her way through, pushing people, even first years who'd come out to see their first Hogwart's fight, out of her way. When she reached the center her heart lurched from her chest to her mouth.

There, on the ground was Draco Malfoy. His face was older than she remembered, but she knew it was he. There was no denying it. And almost standing on top of him with his foot on his throat was Harry Potter. Her reflexes got the better of her and she pulled her wand from her boot and screamed a spell, which sent Harry flying off of Draco and into an empty compartment where he sunk to a heap on the floor. Only Ron rushed to his aid. 

Hermione, her wand still at the ready, ran to where Draco lay and knelt beside him. She couldn't believe it was really him. He looked up at her and, even with a bruised eye and busted lip smiled at her.

"Hey," he said wearily. 

"Hey yourself," she said with a shaky voice. Before he could respond she bent over him and gathered his upper body in her arms. She held him tightly and sobbed. He reached his arms around her slender form and hugged her tightly. She was surprised at his strength even after he'd been fighting until she remembered who he was. He was Draco Malfoy. Finally they parted, a smile larger than she ever remembered having plastered on her tear stained face. Their moment was ruined by a broken Harry Potter.

"I hate to break up this little reunion, but we aren't finished yet Malfoy. Wait till your little Mudblood girlfriend isn't there to save you," he said as he walked away with one arm over Ron's shoulders. Still, Ron remained quiet.  

Hermione felt Draco tense under her hand that she had protectively placed on his arm when Harry called her a Mudblood. She hadn't minded really, his words no longer affected her. Neither she nor Draco spoke, they were still surrounded by Hogwart's students. Hermione gave them all a dead stare. Still none moved. She spoke.

"Everyone, report to your compartments _immediately_," she said in her most teacher like tone. All first years yelped and moved quickly, some of the later years did not. They wanted to stare at her and break her down; when this did not work they reluctantly left as well.

When they were finally alone in the hallway Hermione looked down at Draco. He still lay there staring up at her. She would have laughed at his positioning had she not been so amazed that he was even there.

It would have been an odd sight to see. Hermione sat on her knees, her wand discarded by her legs, clad in black, while Draco Malfoy lay on the floor beside her bruised and bleeding and smiling like an idiot. 

"Uh," Draco interjected a few moments into the dead silence, "may I get up now?" There was a smile in his tone that he had not had since he left her. It sounded foreign to his own ears. She blushed.

"Oh, yeah, sure," she said while standing and stuffing her wand back in her boot. She then offered him her hand. He took it and stood with much effort. He had been hurt worse than he let on, and now that Hermione was the only one around he wasn't afraid to let his weakness show. 

She saw his wince of pain and tried to take more of weight onto her feet. Once they were standing she noticed his bag lying a few feet away. She grabbed it and slung it over her shoulder. She returned to Draco and without a word pulled one of his arms, the one she'd used to help him off the ground, over her shoulder and walked him to her compartment.

Once there she gently helped him to sit on the bench, which was opposite the one that held all of her belongings. She laid his bag on the floor beside him. If not for his injuries she would have instantly begun to talk to him about the past three years. But, she did not. Instead, she let her instincts take over from the past few years of practice.

She silently appraised his visible injuries. She concluded that those injuries could not be what caused him so much pain. She would've been nervous and scared, but the strange warmth that emanated from the ring sent ripples of calm joy throughout her body.

He watched her watch him with interest. She'd changed quite a bit in the last three years, but he could still see his Hermione in there, just beneath the surface. She didn't notice his eyes on her at first. When she did, she blushed and spoke.

"I can't _see_ anything wrong with you so move around and tell me where it hurts," she stated bluntly covering her momentary embarrassment.

            He began by rotating his neck around. There was a slight ache but he assumed that was from the fact that he'd been sleeping in his car, which was now in a garage somewhere, for the past few weeks. He then lifted the arm she helped him to stand with and it felt normal. He tried to lift his other arm but a searing pain shot through his left side. He gasped in pain and shut his eyes tightly. The pain dissipated quickly as the ring on that hand warmed his arm and shoulder.

            "Ok, that's where we'll begin then," she said holding back the small smile that threatened to overtake her.  She knew she shouldn't be smiling. He was in pain after all, but he was back. Draco, after three long years, was back. She didn't care if he was only here for Dumbledore, he was back and that was all that mattered.

            He didn't know why, but he trusted her. Normally he wouldn't let anyone except a certified medi-witch tend to any injury or sickness, but with her he felt utterly and completely safe.

            She knelt in front of him. She didn't let herself be pulled into those blue-grey eyes. She didn't let herself inhale his wonderful scent. Instead she focused on the task at hand.

            "I'm gonna have to take off your shirt," she said another small blush coloring her otherwise pale cheeks. He nodded. When she reached up to unbutton the top button of his shirt, he saw the ring.  He said nothing, but he did begin to understand the power his grandfather had mentioned so many years earlier.

            She finished unbuttoning his shirt and eased the one side off is uninjured shoulder. He sat up and she slowly removed it from his injured arm. Once she discarded the shirt she took a moment to appraise his chest, stomach, and shoulders.  

            In the last three years he'd become more muscular and lean than she remembered. His shoulders seemed broader. She noticed a large bruise in the middle of his chest and a few smaller ones on his stomach. Harry must've kicked him very hard for them to appear so quickly.  She had to break her gaze away when she realized he was once again watching her scrutinize his body. He smiled. 

She immediately moved to his shoulder, running a hand delicately over it. She lifted his arm slowly with her other hand. He winced in pain but said nothing.

"Hmm," she said. She then pulled out her wand. For the first time in the last few minutes he had his doubts.

"Um, Hermione, are you sure you know what you're doing," he said trying to hide his fear. She merely smiled at him as if he were an unknowing child.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Draco," she said with a smile. "These past three years I've treated worse injuries than this. Please, trust me," she said her voice soft though she kept her smile. He allowed her to continue.

After placing the tip of the wand to the offending shoulder and reciting a simple incantation the pain in his shoulder eased. It was not totally gone, but he could now move it without serious discomfort.

"Where else do you hurt?" she asked with a satisfied smile after he told her it no longer hurt to move.  He in turn told her all major pains in his body and she proceeded to root out the source of the pain and say a small spell to ease or dispel the pain immediately. Once that was completed she moved to the smaller bruises and cuts. 

"Wait!" he said when she placed her wand next to the bruises on his stomach. "Don't remove those," he said. She looked puzzled.

"Why?" she asked while squinting at him with a furrowed brow.  

"They don't hurt enough to impinge my movements and they give me a reason to get even with Potter," he said as his eyes narrowed as well. 

_"So," _she thought, _"There still is a little bit of 'Malfoy' in 'Draco'." _She thought the thought would disturb her, but in a way it relieved her. _"Those instincts will keep him safe."_

"Point taken," she said. He smiled. "I do have one condition if you are going to keep them though," she said with a half smile.

"And what would that be?" he asked. 

"I have to at least ease the pain in _that_ one," she said as she poked the large bruise in the center of his chest. He cringed and she gave a short laugh in triumph. 

"Fine fine!" he said, "I didn't think you were going to torture me!" he said jokingly as he pulled her hand away from his chest. When their hands met a long forgotten spark ignited between them.

            For a moment, they shared the same memory. They shared the same thought. They shared the same feeling as they had that first night three years earlier. And then it was gone. Hermione recovered first and gently pulled her hand out of his grasp. She placed the tip of her wand in the center of the enormous bruise. He watched her face as she said the spell.

            When he looked down again the bruise was still there as well as a dull ache where her finger had pressed, but when he felt it the pain had diminished greatly. He smiled up at her.

            "I think you may be the only person ever to be grateful for me to leave a bruise where it is," she said shaking her head at his almost childlike glee.

            Both of their smiles slowly faded when they realized they were each at a loss for words. They merely stared at one another; a silence, which was quickly becoming awkward, filled their tiny compartment. 

They both realized they'd each been putting up a small front since entering the compartment.  In their own way they were both trying to rid themselves of the awkward reunion they knew was inevitable. No matter how much they'd missed one another, no matter how ecstatic they were to see one another, neither knew how to proceed. Draco, once again moving on instinct, spoke first.

His voice was quiet. His words heart felt. 

"I've missed you Hermione," he stated simply as he stared into her large chocolate eyes. He wished she knew how much he'd missed her.  

A/N – Okay, I know, crappy place to just up and stop… but I have to keep a LITTLE suspense right?? You know I'm right :D So, I think I am actually going to recognize and respond to some of my reviewers… Oh yeah, there's a first time for everything. :D

**Anystaza – **Thanks bunches for reading my fics… and I think I like it more than TW too… Ssh, don't tell :) Thanks again!

**DM Angel – **I am really glad you are enjoying it :) I'll try and write the chapters more quickly now that I know people are really reading it. Thank you!!!!!!!!

**Kaisynaya – **Wow… :D Thanks so much for all the compliments. *blushes* I never expected anything like that but thanks a million times :) You are the first person to mention my pen name so thanks for that as well… thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. :)

**DracoHerm143 – **I am glad you enjoyed it… and you cried? Wow… wow… I am kinda at a loss for descriptive words right now… it's sorta late so wow's gonna have to do.  I am glad you liked the letter… I wasn't sure about it but went with it regardless. And I agree, Draco needs to be more… DRACO… but not all the way… I tried an eensy weensy lil bit in this chapter, but it'll be more so whenever he and Harry meet up again. Thanks for reviewing :)


	3. Explanations

Disclaimer – I do not own any of these characters or places. They are JK Rowling's. K? K! Glad that's settled then.

A/N – Okay, I don't know why but for some reason the italics show on some paragraphs and not others, the indentions show on some others, and the bolds show on some and not other. I apologize… but please ignore that fact. THANKS :D

Shadows From the Past "Explanations" 

            Hermione hadn't known what to expect. In the deepest part of her subconscious she'd honestly believed she would never see him again.  Now that he sat right in front of her she didn't know what to say.

            "I've missed you Hermione."

            Those simple words hit her like a brick. She couldn't respond.  She felt emotions she hadn't felt since the day he left her alone in her room start to build up with her. She tried to hold them back, she tried to hide what she felt, but it was to no avail. The dam she'd built to protect her heart from being bruised and broken again came crumbling down and was followed by a river of feelings she'd never forgotten, but hadn't experienced in a very long time.

            It was overwhelming and she felt her eyes begin to fill with tears. She wasn't ashamed to cry in front of him, she just didn't want to seem weak, helpless… or desperate. 

            As the wave of emotion rose to a peak inside her she collapsed onto his lap and cried. 

She cried, and without words, conveyed to him how much she'd missed him. With her tears she showed him how he'd hurt her by leaving. They showed him how she needed him now, though she may never admit it verbally, the way she clung to him in her moment of weakness told her.

            He leaned over her and held her the best he could in his current position. After a few moments, when her sobs hadn't ceased, he bent down and put his hands, though one arm still ached a bit, under her arms and lifted her onto his lap. While he'd gotten taller and more muscular she'd become thinner and leaner.

            Once in his lap she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in the crevice between his neck and shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her, despite a very dull ache in one shoulder, and held her as she cried.

            One of his hands immediately went to her back subconsciously expecting to come in contact with her brunette curls. It was strange for her hair to be up. He hadn't remembered her ever wearing her hair up. Rather than scare her by reaching up and taking her hair down he settled for rubbing her back and whispering into her ear, which was just inches from his mouth.

            "I know," he whispered. "I understand… it's all okay now," he said as her sobs decreased to little moans and finally became nothing more than slightly ragged breath. When she was sure she would no longer break down at the sight of him, she slowly leaned up. She knew she must look a wreck, but she had to see his face to make sure he was real.

            Her arms reluctantly released his neck and fell to her lap.  One hand then moved to the bench where her wand lay. She pointed it towards her purse and mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. A small pack of tissues instantly flew to her hand. She pulled one out and wiped her eyes then discarded it carelessly onto her things.

            When she looked back to Draco, he was staring at her. He didn't bother to disguise that fact. Instead he only stared more deeply when she looked at him with her chocolate eyes. A comfortable silence settled in the room as they stared at one another, both incredulous of the fact that they were once again together. Hermione broke the silence.

            "I've missed you too Draco," she said with a half smile. He in turn smiled back and exhaled in a half laugh. 

            "I caught that," he said jokingly. She smiled fully now before her face grew solemn. He knew what was coming next. She stood from his lap; he made no move to stop her. She then sat next to him without touching him and looked at her hands, which once again rested in her lap.

            "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" she almost whispered. He closed his eyes. He made himself remember why he left her. He made himself remember that night his perfect world broke apart so that when he told her why it would be to complete truth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            --_They were sitting on their balcony. The air was warm. They both knew the next day would be their last day at Hogwart's and while that thought saddened Hermione it almost made Draco a happier man. There were more bad memories than good ones here for him._

_            In Draco's mind he had it all worked out. They would each go home for a few weeks, and then he would apparate to her home. He knew it was risky because any Muggle could see him, but he'd learned a memory charm that was powerful enough to erase one memory, but not all of them._

_            Once there he would surprise her with flowers and offer to take her anywhere she wished to go. He knew she would go with him, he felt it deep in his heart. Once they'd decided where to go he planned on telling her how he really felt about her. He wanted her to know, once and for all, that he loved her. He'd never felt this way for anyone in his whole life and he wanted her to know that she was changing him, for the better._

_            As they sat there talking he considered telling her right then, but he didn't want to frighten her. Though they'd known one another for years, they hadn't said a kind word to each other till the past week. Something deep within his heart reassured him and told him her heart belonged to him just as his belonged to her, but he wouldn't let himself believe this until he knew it to be true._

_            Out of the corner of his eye he saw her hand move towards his. He inwardly smiled. Just as he was about to close the gap between their hands Harry and Ron appeared in front of their private balcony on broomsticks.  Both Hermione and Draco jumped slightly with the intrusion._

            "What the bloody hell is going on here?!" Harry fumed down at them, his green eyes blazing with a barely harnessed fury. Ron just floated there with his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed.

_            "We're just talking Harry," Hermione said calmly though he could feel her tremble without even touching her._

_            "Oh, we heard Hermione… we listened to every word…" Harry said as his neck and face began to redden with anger. "But why I ask… **WHY** were you saying things so bloody nicely to **MALFOY?!**" he screamed down at her. _

_            "Because," she began timidly; but it was too late for her to explain now._

_            "We don't want any of your whiney excuses Hermione… We want to know the truth… we've listened to you up here with him for days… we saw you by the lake… we've watched you and now we want to know why… we want you to choose," Harry said. His voice was no longer loud, but it was now calm and calm could be deadly. _

_This frightened Hermione and angered Draco though he remained quiet. He knew no matter what he said it would only make things worse. _

_            Hermione, with tears beginning to pour down her face, stood and faced the boys in front of her. That's when they saw that she was wearing Draco's sweatshirt._

_            "A Slytherin sweatshirt Hermione… what are you thinking?" Ron said quietly and for the first time.  This past year he'd become more of a second hand man for Harry rather than a true friend, but neither seemed to notice._

_            'The Weasel finally speaks for himself,' Draco thought, 'Pathetic.'_

_            Hermione seemed to ignore Ron and instead focused on Harry's last words. _

_            "Choose?" she said quietly. "Choose?!" she repeated with much more vehemence than either boy in front of her had expected. "Choose what? Between my friends?!" her voice was strained as she pushed on through the flood of tears that cascaded down her face. A breeze blew her hair back from her face as the moonlight shone off her tears. All Draco wanted to do was hold her and protect her, but he knew he couldn't. This was her battle and as much as it pained him to merely sit and watch it happen, he did._

_            "No… not between your friends…" Harry said as his chest began to heave in a newly suppressed anger. "Choose where your loyalties lie," he stated plainly. "With those who have watched out for you for and cared for you for the past seven years or with the one person who hated you, ridiculed you… called you a mud…blood," he said accenting the last two syllables to accentuate his point._

_            Those last words cut both Hermione and Draco to the core. Both knew those words were true to a point. He had never hated Hermione, but because of his father he had never given her a chance. Because of his father he had called her things he wishedhe hadn't. He was trying to repent for his mistake, but it was up to Hermione and Hermione alone to decided if he deserved her forgiveness._

_            Her head dropped and her eyes closed. New tears seeped from the corners of her eyes, but were no longer as harsh as before. Finally those tears ceased. _

_He watched her face as she battled inwardly. All he wanted now was to somehow contribute to her happiness. He knew he'd done that over the past week, but he wanted to do so forever. He wanted her to be truly happy._

_            Harry and Ron never took their eyes off of Hermione. She stood with her head down, the wind drying her cheeks and blowing her hair back from her face. It was like a dream… or a nightmare. She looked up._

_            "I choose happiness," she said softly as her chin began to tremble. Harry's eyes narrowed as Draco's heart beat faster._

_            "And how will you be _happy_ Hermione?" he asked almost sarcastically. That said it all._

_            "I'll be happy with the person who doesn't yell at me… the person who doesn't hurt me… who listens and understands… the person who doesn't make me choose" she said simply. Draco's heart leapt in joy. His face conveyed none of this. They'd almost forgotten he was even there._

_            "You're choosing **him**__over **us**?" Harry asked incredulously as he nodded to where Draco sat. She looked back at Draco. He stared back, hoping his silence was keeping her safe rather than hurting her. She cast her gaze downward and looked back at Harry and Ron._

_            "I suppose I am," she said as she looked up into their eyes. Her stance was strong and her face set, though Draco noticed that her knuckles were white as she gripped the railing and her leg muscles kept contracting as she stood there. His joy fell slightly as he wondered why she looked so strained._

_            "You… you…" Harry began incredulous at first. Then his voice hardened and his eyes became cold. "You little mudblood traitor…" he said softly. It was clear enough to be heard and cut through the air like a knife. "You traitor!" he screamed at her. He sat on his broom fuming. Suddenly, and without another word he flew upward and out of sight followed closely by an ever-silent Ron._

_            When they were gone all was silent for a moment until Hermione collapsed where she stood and sobs racked her body anew. Draco was up in a second and at her side. He held her and she gripped his back as if it were the only thing keeping her alive. She cried harder than she ever had in her life._

_            "Why?!" she would say. "Why? Why me?!" she screamed through gasps for air and wails of anguish. _

_Draco felt helpless. He held her and rocked her. He told her how sorry he was and that he would make everything all right. He promised to fix it and make things better. He knew that his selfishness had caused this pain and he would fix this, he would make her happy again._

_Finally her sobs subsided and she let Draco hold her and rock her. Absently she noticed there were wet spots in her hair where Draco's face was. He was crying with her. She'd never seen him cry. For some reason that gave her the strength to stop crying and stand by her decision. She knew it was the right one._

_As Draco felt her racing heart slow and her ragged breath become steadier he pulled back. Her cheeks were damp, but she no longer looked sad. He assumed she was being brave for his sake, but feared she felt she made the wrong decision. He stood by his word; he would fix things._

_As one person they stood. Draco had his arm around her shoulders as he walked her to her room. Once there she turned to face him. He would never forget her face as she stared up at him in the moonlight._

_Her chocolate eyes, which were still a little red from crying, were also large and full of fear. He knew she was scared. He knew what he had to do and the thought broke his heart into a million pieces. Suddenly he leaned in and kissed her. He meant to kiss her softly, but it seemed that was out of the question._

_As their lips met a fire spread between them. Their tongues found one another as her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, almost hungrily. Even their kisses by the lake had never been this heated, this passionate. He in return wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close, savoring everything he could about her. Her scent, the feel of her mouth, the way her hair tickled his arms, the fact that to kiss him she had to be on her toes, the way she let her fingers brush through the back of his hair, everything he wanted to remember._

_When they finally broke apart, both were a little winded. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. She only watched him, amazed and happy at the choice she'd made._

_"Good night Hermione," he said with his eyes still closed. He never saw the smile on her face. She said the only thing she could in response to that statement_

_"Good night Draco." Those words rang in his ears as he turned away from her. Only then did he open his eyes as he walked back to his room._

Once there he lay on his bed and for the second time that night he cried. He repeatedly mentally chastised himself.

_'Malfoy's don't cry!' he would scream in his mind. 'But then again, Malfoy's don't love _Mudbloods_ either…' he would silently realize. When his silent tears refused to flow any longer he got out his parchment and quill and began to write. _

_Once his letter was completed he crossed the hallway to Hermione's door. He heard her breathing steadily inside. He rested his forehead against the door and closed his eyes, longing to see her just one more time, but he knew it would be too hard._

_            Instead, he slipped the folded letter under her door and walked back to his room. Once there, he began to pack. He knew he had to hurry because it was almost light outside and she would be up soon. He didn't know if he could truly say goodbye to her if he had to face that beautiful face._

_            Just before he walked out of his room, a thought struck him. He opened a secret compartment in his trunk and pulled out two silver rings. One he lay on his bedside table, the other he put on his left ring finger. He silently hoped she would find it the one he left for her. He knew if she was meant to, she would._

_            He didn't know what made him do this, but he did it, and a little bit of the pain that was beginning to spread throughout his body left him. He walked through their shared common room without looking at her door and left._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Hermione looked up when he didn't answer. Rather than interrupt his thoughts she waited. When after a few more moments he still did not answer she put her hand tentatively on his knee.

            "Draco," she whispered. His hand moved to cover hers; his eyes remained closed.

            "I didn't say goodbye… because I knew if I tried to _tell _you goodbye… I wouldn't ever want to leave," he said finally. "I had to…" he began but she cut him off.

            "I understand…" she said timidly. His eyes opened and he looked at her as if waiting to be reassured that he'd done the right thing. She continued to stare at her lap. "In some ways I thank you… for caring enough to try and help me be happy… but I'm sorry to tell you that they didn't understand… they knew the only reason I came to them was because you wanted me to…" she said softly. His eyes instantly sought hers out.

            "How…?" he asked incredulously. She smiled a small sad smile.

            "I told them." He was awe-struck. She told them. He may've wasted three years without her. _"No,"_ he told himself, _"I did what I had to do."_  It was almost as if she knew what he was thinking.

            "I want you to know that I think you did the right thing… all though I wish you would've just _told_ me how you felt… or asked me…" she said keeping her small sad smile. "Maybe then we couldn't decided what would be best… for both of us… Maybe we could've been together…" 

            "Hermione I…" he began but was once again cut off, only this time it was by her lips connecting with his.

            This kiss was not hungry as their last had been, but it was passionate. Neither made any move to deepen the kiss, they were both content with the tenderness this one provoked between them. When she pulled away she was smiling sweetly.

            "I've waited three years to do that again Draco," she said softly. He smiled in return only to have his mind bombard him with another question he needed to know the answer to.

            "Hermione… there's something I need to ask you…" she looked at him and nodded. Her right hand still rested on his knee covered with his right hand. "Are you… um… did you ever… find… anyone?" he asked praying to all that he knew that she hadn't.

            Rather than use words, she lifted her left hand. On it was a silver ring. The sight of it sent chills down his spine. He should of known when he saw it the first time, but he had to make sure. He knew she would expect the same response from him, so instead of waiting he held his left hand up as well.

            Something akin to relief swept over her beautiful features. They seemed to soften as if a burden of worry had been lifted from her and tossed away. Then she blushed.

            "I didn't know if it was meant for me to… uh… take… so… do you want it back?" she asked him like a small child would had they taken a piece of candy from a store but really wanted to keep it. He shook his head.

            "No, I left it for you… I am just glad you understood that it was yours." She smiled. Both of their hands dropped. Draco wasted no time in gathering that hand in his free one. He'd missed the feel of her small fingers wrapped around his larger ones.

            "So," she said as they each felt the slight tension in the room suddenly disappear, "what have you done since I saw you last?" she asked. He had to suppress a laugh. She acted as if it had been mere months rather than three long years since they'd last seen one another. She acted as if this were all perfectly normal. He decided to go along with her in that sense.

            Rather than laugh though, he smiled.  For the rest of the train ride to Hogwart's he told her of his life before she told him of hers over the last three years.

            At first, he admitted, he'd been too heart broken to do anything. For one thing, his home was much different than it had been. His parents had both been sentenced to imprisonment in Azkaban two years earlier after Dumbledore, as well as other ministry wizards, had killed Voldemort. Hermione had commented many times that when Voldemort was defeated without Harry's help, he and Ron had become more distant as if they felt left out of something.

            When he returned home the manor was empty, only the house elves remained. So Draco, after making sure to charm the house to be a bit more pleasant, sold it. He offered their elves the chance to be free or to work for the next family who lived there. They chose the latter. It was their duty.

            After that he left. He told her of his travels, all across Europe and the states. He even opened up and told her the things in each place that had reminded him of her. She was of course flattered and a little surprise but said nothing to interrupt his story.

            He told of her his brief enlistment in one of the minor league Quidditch teams, and how even that never satisfied him. And so, a year after leaving Hogwart's, he confessed that he'd come looking for her.  This news caught her slightly off guard. 

            Her surprise must've shown on her face, because he stopped his story and looked at her with a puzzled expression as if to say 'What's wrong?'.

            "I'm sorry," she said smiling. "Please…go on," he nodded and continued still curious as to why that facet of his tale surprised her. He would ask later.

            He told her that of course he'd checked her home first. When she asked how he'd found where she lived he merely said "Dumbledore," and smiled. She smiled in return. He then asked where she'd moved. Her parents told him she'd left earlier that year and they hadn't heard from her for the last few months.

            He confessed that he'd asked them to tell him where they knew she _had_ been before you stopped writing and calling. "After much convincing that I was a friend they agreed and told me where they knew you'd been before. They also told me that if I found you to ask you to call them, they were worried about you…" he said with a smile. She only rolled her eyes and smiled in return.

            As it turns out, he had been fairly close to her all along and neither had ever known. When she confessed this his eyes popped open wide. She assured him she would tell him her story after he was finished telling his.

            "After about six months or so of searching I almost gave up. I decided if fate had dealt the cards in my favor then I would find you…  I spent the rest of my time around Diagon Alley… I found a broom shop that had just opened when I arrived and applied." Her eyes opened with false shock. "Oh hush, yes, Draco Malfoy can and will get a job if it saves his own butt from poverty!" She almost asked where the Malfoy riches were, but decided not to bring up anything that might dampen his mood. 

"Anyway, with my Quidditch experience and knowledge of brooms they hired me," he said almost proudly. She laughed at him and he looked at her with innocent eyes. "What?" he asked. She merely shook her head. "Where was I? Oh yeah… a few weeks ago I was sent some kinda test from Dumbledore… it seems I know enough about Defense Against the Dark Arts to teach the bloody class," he said with another proud smile. This time her eyebrows rose in appreciation and she smiled. "Now," he said as he briefly let go of her hands. "Why don't you tell me what you've been up to while I re-clothe myself?"

            She blushed when she realized he still had no shirt on and silently wondered how she could have forgotten. She mentally smacked herself. _"Hermione Granger, don't think such things!"_ She waited for him to button up. He noticed he left a few of the top buttons undone but said nothing. _"But…" _she mentally told herself, _"you ARE an adult now… hmmm."_ She blushed outwardly with her last thoughts but he said nothing.

            "Wait," she said coming back to reality, "you took a test?" she asked puzzled. He nodded. "So did I… it said I was perfect for Transfiguration," she said with a frown. "I suppose Dumbledore will explain what he needs to…" He agreed and with a shrug she launched into her story of the past three years knowing that no matter how hard they thought about it Dumbledore's plans were always a mystery.

            After graduating she'd gone home. The day she became eighteen she told her parents she was leaving. They knew they couldn't stop her and bid their teary farewells. She told him she'd promised to write, and did so for a while. Eventually she stopped. She knew that to focus on the tasks she'd set for herself she would need little to no distractions. 

            "I kind of told myself it was like studying for a _huge_ test," she said matter-of-factly. When Draco asked what kind of tasks those were she merely said, "Be patient and you'll find out." He agreed and was content to sit and listen to her melodic voice as it graced his ears with her words.

            After training in a small health clinic right outside of Diagon Alley she made her strangest journey ever. She went to Malfoy Manor.  She told him she'd planned on coming and offering to work for him as a home nurse for his house elves and himself, hoping he would accept her. When she arrived he was not there and the current family had no clue where he'd gone.

            When he heard that she'd lived in his home his stomach lurched. The one place he'd never looked had been where she was the entire time. Not only that, she'd been _waiting _for _him! _He pushed those thoughts aside knowing feeling stupid for not going back would change nothing.

            She continued with her story telling him how she worked there for a while, hoping he would come check on the house and find her. Obviously he never did. Roughly a year and a half after they left Hogwart's she left the manor. She found work in the same clinic she'd trained in and stayed there most of the time, occasionally going out away from the clinic into small villages and offering her medical assistance. 

She confessed a few times that she'd gone to Diagon Alley for supplies she'd seen a man with blonde hair, but always convinced herself she was just being hopeful, because he would soon disappear into the crowd. 

            With this Draco gawked at her. How could she not have at least tried? Once again she seemed to read his mind.

            "I suppose I was too scared to do anything more than hope," she said quietly. "As long as I didn't know it wasn't you I could hope it was… it was more than nothing," she said as her face drooped. He waited for her to continue. She shook off her self-pity and smiled at him.

            She told him of her test and how she was only slightly surprised by her results. Then she told him about receiving Dumbledore's letter and her girlish hopes.

            "And here I am," she said with a smile. He smiled in return. "I hoped you were sent a letter too…" she said smiling. There talk was interrupted by a small knock on their compartment door. Draco stood and opened it with caution hating for his time with her to be interrupted and praying it wasn't Potter or Weasley. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a woman with a candy cart.

            "Would ya like to buy any treats?" she asked with a grand smile that was missing more than one tooth. Draco looked to Hermione questioningly she nodded and smiled. Once again she reminded him of a small child. 

            He purchased a couple chocolate frogs, a bag of Bernie Bott's every flavor beans, and two butterbeers. When she left they decided to leave the door open and let some air in. He returned and sat next to Hermione, this time closer than before allowing their knees to touch. Hermione noticed this but said nothing. She didn't want him to think she didn't like it. His presence comforted her.

            Suddenly a young girl with long blonde hair who must've been a first year stuck her head in their compartment.

            "Pardon me," she excused herself before continuing, "but a friend of mine has lost his toad. Have you seen it by any chance?" she asked politely.

            "No, sorry, haven't seen any toads in here," Hermione said as she was reminded of her first ride on the Hogwart's Express.

            "Well, if you see it please call for Cindi or Carl please," she said and left. They heard her yell a few seconds later. "Carl! I can't find him! Please, just change into your robes. He's sure to turn up!" Both Draco and Hermione laughed quietly.

            "Was I like _that_?" Hermione asked as she looked at Draco with wide eyes. 

            "I'm afraid so," he said while smiling. 

            "Oh goodness… well… she must be extremely intelligent then," she said with a smirk. He chuckled to himself once again.

            "Must be," he said while leaning back. Without thinking about it she leaned into his arm and allowed him to encircle her shoulders. They sat in companionable silence and finished their treats for the rest of the train ride merely basking in the glow of each other's company and looking forward to the welcome back feast they'd missed for the past three years.

When they felt the train jerk to a stop they both stood. Hermione gathered her few bags while Draco picked up his one. He offered to take one of hers but she declined politely.

They exited the train and watched as the first years were gathered around a large burly man with a bright smile and bright eyes.

"'Ermione!" he exclaimed upon seeing her and she dropped her things and ran into his large embrace.

A/N – I know this chapter was a little wordy, but I couldn't help it. I had to get their pasts out of the way. If you don't like it… well… then flame me… constructively of course :D 

Ok, I will try and get to thanking individual reviewers in the next chapter… but I have a request… I've meant to ask this every time I write but do I ever remember? Of course not, so here goes…

I am looking for a beta reader because when I look over my own stuff I miss mistakes a lot… so… if you want to volunteer either put it in a review or e-mail me at rhapsody@punkmusic.com. Either way is fine with me.

Once again, thanks for reading and I hope I keep you all entertained. :) Hehe. 

And by the way… reviews = updates and hugs for everyone!!! So… Go to that little purple GO box and tell me what you think… :) THANKS A MILLION!


	4. Return

Disclaimer – I do not own any of these characters or places. They are JK Rowling's. K? K! Glad that's settled then.

A/N – Okay, before I forget I need to ask something -- If anyone wants me to inform them of updated chapters, send me an e-mail (my address is in my profile and at the end of the last chapter) telling me you want updates and your address (which will obviously already be in the e-mail hehe) and I, well, WILL. Okay… enough of that… here's chapter four!

Shadows From The Past "Return" 

            "Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as she ran over to the large burly man. All the first years that were crowded around him gawked as she ran to him and leapt into an embrace. They didn't see how anyone could be brave enough to hug someone so… large.

            When Hagrid finally let Hermione back on her feet he looked at her. 

            "'Ermione… you've changed quite a bit," he said as he appraised her new appearance.

She blushed slightly and looked up at him with a smile. "You haven't," she said almost thankfully.

He would remember to ask her why she seemed happy about that later. "Listen 'Ermione, I'd love ta stay and chat with ya but I gotta get these 'ere first years on to da boats." She nodded and after one more quick hug walked away. 

She expected him to give her a strange glare for walking to Draco instead of Harry or Ron, but he only smiled and waved as he herded the small frightened first years to the boats. Only a very small and poised looking blonde girl seemed unaffected by the half giants presence. She walked on with her head held high.

The young girl reminded Draco of Hermione at that age. He smiled down at her and nudged her side. She narrowed her eyes and looked up him giving him a falsely evil stare. He just shook his head.

"Come on," he said, "We need to grab a carriage so we don't have to walk all the way." She agreed and together they walked to where the carriages waited. 

The fear that they might have to search for a carriage with enough seats was dispelled when they saw a sign that said "**Alumni This Way**" with a large golden arrow.

"We're alumni!" Draco said proudly with a goofy grin, which in Hermione's opinion was very un-Malfoy-like. They followed to arrow and there waited four large carriages that were trimmed in gold and silver. In front of them stood a group of people they hadn't seen in a very long time, with the exception of Harry and Ron.

Dumbledore's smile grew as he saw Hermione and Draco walk up together, while a few other people present looked puzzled. As they made their way to the carriages Dumbledore began.

"Now that everyone is present, I would like to say welcome back!" All eight former Hogwart's students smiled. "Next, I want you all to know that I cannot yet disclose why I asked you all here," no one was surprised, "but I am pleased to see you all decided to come." He smiled yet again. "Now, if you'll pair up two to a carriage then we'll be off to the school!" he announced proudly.

Harry and Ron were the first ones in carriage followed closely by Snape. Hermione almost chortled at their misfortune.  Blaise Zambini got into a carriage and was followed closely by Millicent Bullstrode much to his displeasure, and then by a very frazzled looking Madam Hooch. They were left alone. She and Draco took the next carriage and saw that Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom took the last with Professor MgGonnagal. 

Both Hermione and Draco were surprised when Professor Dumbledore climbed in the carriage with them.

"Hello Professor," Hermione greeted warmly. Draco smiled, but it was not as warm or as welcoming as Hermione's had been, Hermione noticed that it was almost pinched. She said nothing but was sure Professor Dumbledore saw it as well.

He had indeed noticed, but instead of pointing out an obvious fact he instead smiled largely to his two former top students.

"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, it's lovely to see you both again!" he said with a smile, his tired old voice seeming more haggard than it had outside. Assuming Draco would not be very wordy at this time, Hermione chose to answer first.

"As it is you, Professor… I've missed being at Hogwart's greatly," she admitted as she glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of its towering walls in the near distance. The sight, which to many would be frightening, instead sent a warm feeling of security tingling through her spine, much like the ring had done before only not as potently.

"What about you Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked with a knowing smile. Hermione knew what he was thinking. The only thing that had broken Draco's deep hatred of muggleborns had been the fact that he'd gotten to know _her_ and realized that ones background does not define who one is.  Hermione knew how deeply it was embedded in his mind to hate Dumbledore, but she also knew he was a changed man and would do what was right in the end. He just needed time.

            "Yes Professor… good to be back," he said through another tight smile. Inwardly Hermione sighed with relief. She knew he was trying and this was definitely progress.

            Apparently Dumbledore still knew his students almost better than they knew themselves and so he did not push Draco any further, because he knew that was a breakthrough in and of itself. 

            "Um, Professor, I know you said you couldn't tell us why we were sent those tests and asked to come back… but… can you give us a hint? It's kind of strange… I never remember past students coming back to Hogwart's except possibly to watch the Tri Wizard Tournament… but never after taking a _test_," she insisted as she waited for an answer. He merely smiled once more.

            "Ms. Granger, you know I am not one prone to giving hints," he said with a merry twinkle in his blue gray eyes, "but I suspect with your brain you will figure it out before crawling in bed tonight."

Hermione slightly flushed at his compliment and thought to ask one more question before the carriages reached Hogwarts. "Er, Professor, one more thing if I may?" she asked with those large brown eyes he remembered from ten years ago.

            "Of course," he replied almost becoming lost in memories of students' past.

            "Where will we be staying exactly?" she asked realizing in all her years at Hogwart's she'd never thought to ask where guests might stay. She had no doubt there were extra rooms hidden within Hogwart's walls, but rather than explore and search for them she decided it better to ask. They could explore later.

            "Well, as you know we have many Head Boy and Girl quarters, so that we have the ability to rotate rooms and not use the same one year in and year out, correct?" Hermione nodded. Her subconscious remembered that from somewhere. "Because of this we have extra rooms available, so we will allow you to split up into groups of two, as you've done with the carriages, and we expect you to do in the castle, and show you to your rooms," he stated.

            "Uh," Draco said from his silent position startling Hermione slightly, "what about the room that was ours when we were Head Boy and Girl?" he asked lightly. For once he sounded hopeful in the presence of Albus Dumbledore rather spiteful or mean. Dumbledore's face remained polite but his eyes had taken on a mischievous twinkle. 

            "Yes, I believe that room is unoccupied. Actually I don't believe it's been used since you both left," he said retaining his polite Dumbledore-smile. 

            "Mmm," was all Draco could manage as thoughts from that room drifted from his subconscious to his conscious mind. Hermione saw flashes of those nights on the balcony, but pushed them from thought hoping Professor Dumbledore hadn't noticed her slight distraction as well.

            They weren't able to say anything more because their carriage came to an abrupt halt and they stopped in front of Hogwart's. Dumbledore noticed each barely brought any thing with them and began to wonder where their trunks were. The realization suddenly hit him. _"Albus, you old coot, they aren't students anymore! They're guests," _he thought while mentally laughing at himself.

            After waiting for the other six former Hogwart's students to catch up they all followed Dumbledore into the great hall. There they were met with hundreds of students chattering away, awaiting the sorting of the first years who were waiting just outside with Professor MgGonnagal.

            "I had some of the house elves move a few extra tables and add on to the head table so you all could sit with the teachers and not feel like students once again. It is also a much better view of the sorting," he said, the sparkle in his eyes now seemed excited and child-like. 

            They followed as he led them to the front table and sure enough room for eight more people had been made. No one questioned how he'd elongated the table without making the room more crowded; they knew house elf magic was always to be counted on without question.

            Hermione and Draco looked around, noticing how the Great Hall hadn't changed much since they left.  The Slytherins still sneered at the Gryffindors, the Gryffindors still glared at the Slytherins, and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were caught in the middle.  She merely sighed at habits that may never die. Draco suddenly elbowed her in the ribs lightly.

            "Hermione," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "we're being watched," he said with a grin as he glanced between some older Slytherins and Gryffindors who remembered them from years past. She giggled and decided it was time to take their seats.

Hermione wanted to sit next to Hagrid, assuming Professor Dumbledore and Professor MgGonnagal would be seated in the center as usual, but saw too late that Harry had already moved and taken that position followed closely by Ron. Neville and Lavender had taken the other two available seats. With a sigh she, Draco, Blaise, and Millicent sat on the opposite end of the table with a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He introduced himself as Professor Richard Reggers. They all smiled and nodded, but more time for words was cut off by the appearance of a group of small and frightened looking children.

Professor MgGonnagal called for silence. She then gathered the sorting hat and sat it on the stool in the front of everyone assembled. After the hat sang it's little song, which was much more serious than it had been in years past, MgGonnagal pulled out a scroll of names. 

For some reason Hermione was particularly interested to discover which house the little blonde girl… Cindi was her name… was chosen for.  Hermione almost assumed that with her personality, at least what she'd seen of it, she would be placed in Gryffindor.

The sorting went off without a hitch. Only a few students had to wait under the hat for more than a few seconds. One of those people was the little girl. It was almost like she was arguing with the hat about something. Finally the hat bellowed out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and the little girl jumped. The hat was removed and she stood up with a pleased look on her face. Hermione clapped extra hard.  A few turns later a scared looking boy with bronze colored hair stepped up. Hermione didn't catch his last name but she did hear the word "Carl" and so she assumed he was the boy who last his toad. He was also placed in Gryffindor and happily took a seat next to Cindi.

Once the first years were all seated, Dumbledore stood to make his welcoming speech. 

As far as Hermione could remember every year she'd been at Hogwart's Dumbledore had special news and this year was no exception, only this year the news was about _them_.

"May I have your attention?" Dumbledore's grandfatherly voice resounded throughout the room. It instantly fell silent except for a few rebellious Slytherin who continued to talk. They were soon quieted by death glares from Snape, MgGonnagal, and, surprisingly, Draco. Hermione saw this and put one of her hands under the table and onto his knee. His hand soon met hers there and gave it a brief squeeze before interlocking their fingers. 

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry! I would like to first welcome all first year students and I hope the prefects of your house will warn you of the few dangers that are included with attending her," he said while straining to keep a straight face as soon first years began worriedly looking around. "I would also like to welcome a few other guests, eight former students of mine," he said as he paused to introduce them starting on his left. "Millicent Bullstrode, Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger," there was a smattering of applause as some older students recognized them. He then moved to his right. "Harry Potter," he said as a great round of applause from all tables by Slytherin broke out. When it stopped he continued, "Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Lavender Brown," he concluded. "They will be staying here with us for a while, I expect you all to treat them as you would treat a professor. Now, let's eat!" he said with a smile. As he stood their golden plates were piled with food and more food covered the tables.

"I wonder how big his head is now," Hermione said in a low voice as she glanced down the table at Harry. Draco knew what she meant and gave her hand one final squeeze before releasing it to once again partake of Hogwart's glorious food. Hermione took his cue and for the remainder of the meal they all ate and made small talk. Hermione even began to enjoy talking to Blaise and Millicent. Milly, as she asked them to call her wasn't as burly as she had been in school, though she still wasn't pretty. She wasn't a bad person once you started talking to her, but she wasn't exactly very bright either. Blaise on the other hand seemed to be very intelligent and picked up conversation with Draco almost instantly, acting as if while in school they'd been the best of friends.

When the meal concluded Dumbledore gave the students instructions and watched as the first years followed their Prefects out of the Great Hall and toward their common rooms while the others held back a minute only to follow in their footsteps. Once the hall was clear, Dumbledore stood and motioned for the eight additional people to follow him. The other teachers who were not heads of houses remained to finish up their meals.

Once out in the corridor, he stopped and spoke.

"I am assuming because of the person you chose to ride in the carriages with none of you will mind rooming with that person?" he asked. No one seemed to object though Blaise gave Millicent a fleeting look before Dumbledore continued. "Very well, follow me." 

He stopped near a painting with a giant bowl of fruit on it that was also a secret entrance to the kitchen. There, on the left wall, was another painting. A field of lavender flowers surrounded a crystal orb. Sitting next to the orb was a small child tending to a small garden that appeared to be full of herbs. She stood upon seeing Dumbledore and smiled merely waiting for him to speak. He first turned to the people around him.

"I will open your doors for you, once inside you will be able, along with your roommate, to determine what you password will be. Understood?" he asked. All eight heads obediently nodded. "All right then." He turned to the painting.

"Hello Robyn," he said nicely.

"Hello Professor Dumbledore," she replied with a slight curtsy as her bronze-orange curls bounced on her shoulders. 

"I'd like you to meet Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown," he said nicely. She smiled at them as they stepped forward. They returned her smile. "Well, we're off then." He said and as he and the remaining six students turned to leave they heard the small girl saying, "I know we'll become great friends. Come on in and we'll pick out my new password!"

They took another hallway that came dangerously close to the dungeons. On one wall there was a dark painting in which a beautiful white unicorn sat, surrounded by dark trees and a boiling cauldron. Dumbledore instructed Millicent and Blaise to do as the others had and, after talking with the unicorn, left them to it.

The next painting just happened to be right across the hall from the statue of the humpbacked witch. On it was a very old man sitting in a rocking chair surrounded by brooms of all shapes and sizes. He sat and was staring at a black box. In the reflection of his glasses they saw he was watching a TV. This seemed strange but no one mentioned it. Dumbledore called Harry and Ron up and heard Draco and Hermione's small sighs of relief. After bidding farewell Dumbledore led Hermione down a very familiar corridor. Soon they came upon a painting they'd never forgotten nor ever would.

Down the hall from the steps that led to the Astronomy Tower was a painting of two children. Before leaving Hogwart's the children, who bore a striking resemblance to Hermione and Draco, always sat and played games. Now they each had wands in their hands and occasionally the little girl would turn into a cat while the little boy sat and read a book that strongly resembled the book Draco had had while taking Defense Against the Dark Arts.

When the children saw Draco and Hermione they both jumped to their feet as smiles of glee spread across their faces. Hermione and Draco's faces mirrored their emotion.

"You're back!" the little girl named Maya exclaimed as she saw them, "and you've both gotten older," she said with false awe. Hermione only smiled. She'd always assumed they were meant to portray them as children not only because of their appearance but also because of their names… Maya and Dray.

"We're back but not too much older," Hermione said with a false pout. The little girl giggled, while the little boy stared at Hermione. 

"Where'd your hair go?" he asked innocently noticing that it was still up and not down as usual. Hermione laughed again.

"It's still there, I promise," she said. The little boy only nodded and looked to Draco.

"I have so much I need to ask you about!" he said as he began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"We can do that later Dray," he said smiling. The little boy nodded.

The sight of a Malfoy actually smiling rather than smirking still slightly shocked Dumbledore, but he did not let this show. "Well, I suppose you know what to do from here. I hope you enjoy your old rooms," he said with a smile and without another word he left.

"Come in come in!" both children chorused. "When you're inside you've picked out a password just come to the door and say, 'Password – and then the password.' Okay?" Dray asked as he smiled upwardly at Draco and Hermione. They nodded and the door swung upon. Once inside the door swung closed and they heard the children giggle. Draco turned to look at Hermione and saw her jaw drop open wide. He looked to see what she was staring at and mimicked her actions. 

The once Green, Maroon, Silver and Gold room was now… tan. Everything was tan, or brown, or beige. Before either could form words again Hermione noticed a note lying on their common room table. She dropped her two bags and ran to read it out loud.

_"Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger," _she began. "How did he know we would get this room together?" she asked a bit confused. Draco shrugged.

            "It's Dumbledore…" he said as he walked over to join her, now almost recovered from the shock of seeing _their_ room so different. "Keep reading," he stated nicely. She looked back to the letter in her hands.

            _"I suppose you are wondering why your room is so… bland… I can explain this. Before we decorate a common room or bedrooms such as yours, we much decide on a base color. Because many colors are 'taken' by the different houses, we decided to use a very neutral color. I assume with your fine years of training," _Hermione smiled to herself at his sneaky personal comment, _"that you will be fully able to redecorate to your pleasing. At breakfast in the morning I will inform you both of my expectations of you while you are here. Till then, sleep well.  Sincerely – Professor Albus Dumbledore," _She finished.

            "Well, at least we can change this… it's beginning to make me feel… like talking like this," he said the last part in a monotone voice and a blank stare. Hermione reached over and gently smacked the back of his head. He faked a wince and rubbed his 'injured area'. Only then did he realize his shoulder no longer hurt. When he mentioned this she just gave him a look that said, 'Did you ever doubt me?' He just rolled his eyes.

            "Before we start redecorating," he said as he picked up his bag and both of hers, despite her effort to stop him, "let's go see our old rooms," he said with a huge smile. She agreed but not before prying one of her bags loose from his arms. 

            She followed him up the stairs and he surprisingly took her to her old room first. Much like the rest of their new little home it was very bland, but other than the colors everything appeared to be the same, if a little cleaner than she'd left it. She smiled and after they sat her bags down followed him to his room.

            It was also done in the same colors as hers, but her imagination filled in all that was missing. The dark bed spread and carpet, the single light by his bed where she'd found her ring, his smell. 

            "Are you gonna come in, or just stand there?" he asked from across the room next to the balcony. She hadn't noticed he'd moved; she'd been too caught up in memories she never imagined she would be able to live out again. With an embarrassed nod she followed him to the balcony door. "Do you wanna… go out there?" he asked. She thought he seemed nervous and didn't understand why till she felt her knees begin to tremble as well. She nodded once more and he opened the door.

            The night was calm and the air was warm. A slight breeze crossed over their faces and Hermione closed her eyes and tried to recall the last time she'd been here. Surprisingly the memory that surfaced wasn't of the time Harry and Ron had shown up. She remembered the other times and a grin spread across her face.

            Draco watched her smile. He had been afraid she would only remember the last night when he left, but she hadn't. He smiled when she did and continued to watch her. 

            It was strange to see her in Muggle clothes. The only other times he'd seen her in anything other than robes was at night, and then it was usually pajamas. The black skirt she wore rose roughly an inch above her knee high black boots. He didn't understand why she wore such dark clothes, but he knew she had her reasons. Her plae arms stood out brightly from her sleeveless black shirt and the moonlight amplified her bright skin. Her hair, which he saw was still the same luxurious brown it had always been, was put up tightly in a bun with a small metal rod sticking out of it. He assumed that was what held it up.

            She felt him take a step closer to her and her breath caught slightly. The breeze carried his wonderful scent to her face and she inhaled deeply. She waited for him to speak.

            "May I?" he asked quietly. She opened her eyes and saw him looking at her with a questioning expression. She then noticed his hand placed right above her head. She'd worn her hair up almost every day since he left. She knew he loved it and only took it down to sleep. Seeing the expression in his eyes gave her the answer. She nodded. 

            His hand moved to the small metal stick. Slowly he pulled it out of her hair. He saw on the end he held there was a small silver dragon with green-jeweled eyes. He smiled.

            Once the stick had been removed her hair began to slowly fall. To speed the process Hermione gently shook her head.  A wave of brown waves fell gently to the middle of her back. It was longer than he remembered and he longed to run his fingers through it over and over again. But instead he opted for pushing it off the side of her f ace where it fell. She stood and stared at him with wide eyes. They were getting a second chance.

            "You should always wear it down," he said softly as he dared to brush it from the other side of her face only as an excuse to touch it. She smiled.

            "Maybe I will now," she said quietly. He laid the metal rod with the dragon on a table, which sat near the edge of the balcony. When he turned around once more he was greatly surprised.

            Hermione, who'd been waiting for the right moment closed the space between them and pressed her lips against his. Within seconds his hand found the back of her head and he let himself explore those wonderfully brown curls. She followed suit and for the first time in three years put her hand on the back of his head. His platinum blonde hair, which was all one length at about three inches, felt as soft as it had the last time she'd touched it as memories of those nights before swam through her mind enhancing this night.

            They clung to one another for a while, their lips never breaking, until finally Hermione slowed and pulled away for air. She smiled up at him and his disheveled hair. She reached up to fix what she'd moved out of place.

            "Sorry," she said with a slightly embarrassed smile.

            "Oh, don't be sorry!" he said as his eye grew wide and his smile widened, "anytime you feel the need to do that, go riiight ahead," he said as his smile became more wicked. She laughed and proceeded to rest her head on his chest. His chin rested atop her head and together they stared out at the lake.

            After a few more moments Draco heard Hermione yawn.

            "Sleepy?" he asked. She nodded under his chin. He pulled away and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he had down that night three years earlier. He walked her to her door and she turned around. A brief look of fear flashed on her face, but was replaced with a smile as he captured her lips with his once more, this time gently.

            "Goodnight Hermione…" he said to her as he leaned back. "I'll see you in the morning," he reassured. She smiled.

            "Goodnight Draco," she said and watched him retreat to his room.

            After entering her room she decided that unpacking and redecorating could wait till the next day. She dug through her bag and pulled out a pair of silky black soccer shorts (that were much too short to be actual soccer shorts) and a black Slytherin sweatshirt. She inhaled the scent of the sweatshirt and was shocked to smell Draco. His scent had faded from it weeks after they'd parted and she'd washed it since then. She then realized she smelled his scent off of her skin and smiled. She crawled into her painfully bland bed after saying a quick spell to brush her teeth and was soon fast asleep.

A/N -- before replying to some reviews, I just want to say that I do know some characters are REALLY OOC hehe. Uh… creative license? :D Anyway, sorry if everyone doesn't like but everyone is entitled to their own opinion right? Right! Ok, onto replies… :)

**RE16** -- I was thinking about explaining the letters and tests and stuff some way… just haven't figured out how yet… I'll try and explain it :)

**AlexLyons3** -- Thanks! I'll try :)

**Crodi** -- I was kinda goin' for that… Harry / Draco SWITCH… kinda. It'll be explained later on I think but I am really glad you like it!

**DR and TF r mine! Mwahahahaha! **-- yeah… I don't know your pen name so… you know who you are…  wow, this sounds weird but the fact that you cried is a GREAT compliment… THANKS :)

**Ellie** -- I agree, DM/HG all the way :D And don't worry, she won't be sad too long :)

**Willowfairy **-- I will e-mail you updates :) Actually, I'll e-mail you about THIS chapter. :) hehehe

**xangelcrisisx** -- Thanks! Glad people are reading it :D

**critic** -- Well, thank you for the compliment :) and there will be a few more HP vs HG/DM confrontations and I may have to mention the fact that his mother was also muggleborn… hmm… what will happen? *dramatic music here* :)

**Pippin** -- Whoa… lots and lots of posting a review… but nonetheless thank you! I e-mailed you about the beta thing so… yeah… and yeah thanks!!! The tree thing was harsh, but I take it as a compliment :D

**Keeper of the Circle** -- DracoHerm143… you… :) thanks! I'll try and have the next chapter up soon… wait, this IS the next chapter. :) hehehe

**Crystalline Lily** -- Thanks for being a beta… you already KNOW this chapter so… um… just THANK YOU :D

**Stacy** -- yeah, Harry is rather OOC but I meant for him to be that way… kinda taking him out of character to make it work ya know? and yes, Ron is definitely 2nd wheel material. Thanks for reading :) glad you like it :)

**Kerri** -- Thanks, glad you like the plot. Hehe, you're the first to mention the frog thing… I liked it too… just like when Neville lost his toad :) thanks

**Anystaza** -- Thanks for reading! Glad you like it

**Kou Shun'u** -- Glad you like it!! It hasn't been called addictive yet, but HECK YEAH :) Thanks for reading!!!


	5. Frederick

Disclaimer -- Most of the characters = not mine. Most settings = not mine. Plot = mine.

A/N – I would just like everyone to know that though the story seems a little slow right now it won't be later on… it's building up I suppose… so yeah. :) Thanks for reading :)

Shadows From the Past "Frederick" 

Draco awoke the next morning right after sunrise with the strangest sense of déjà vu.  He vividly remembered dreaming about seeing Hermione again at Hogwart's. When he opened his eyes the room, which spread before him, seemed alien and familiar at the same time. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light he realized that seeing her had not been a dream, but had in fact been a reality. He smiled and jumped from his bed. He briefly considered changing from his gray cotton pajama pants and white tee black tee shirt he'd cut the sleeves off of, but decided not to. If they were to be living in such close proximity to one another it would be better if they were as comfortable with one another as they had been three years prior.

He opened the door to his room and looked to Hermione's door. It was open and a brief glimpse inside told him she was not there. He then descended the staircase and headed for the common room. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

Hermione sat in the middle of the floor hunched over what appeared to be a roll of parchment scribbling furiously, her long brown hair, which was pulled back into a loose bun, was slowly falling into her face. Her long pale legs were crossed over one another and shown off nicely. He didn't notice any shorts at first, but then saw a pair of shiny black ones.  She also wore a hooded sweatshirt.  _"How does she do that?"_ he thought incredulously as he marveled at how beautiful she was even without really trying.

For a moment he didn't move, he merely watched her. After a few more moments he decided to break the silence.

"'Morning," he said as nonchalantly as possible. She turned her head to face him.  Small curls went flying past her smiling face.

"Good morning!" she said cheerily. He couldn't help but smile in return.  She was wearing a small pair of wire-rimmed glasses.

"I didn't know you wore glasses," he said and took a few steps towards her. She shrugged. 

"After so many years of reading I suppose my eyes got a little strained. I have contacts… but at home I usually don't fool with them and just wear the glasses… I don't think they look too bad," she said thoughtfully as she looked up at him. His grin stayed in place as he smiled down at her.

"Nothing could make you look bad," he said still smiling broadly. She blushed as she often did when he spoke to her. She rearranged the way she was sitting and revealed the front of the shirt she was wearing.

"Before I ask what you were doing writing on the floor, may I ask, what you are wearing?" he asked a bit incredulously. She looked down and realized why he was shocked. She had his old sweatshirt on.

"Um… my sweatshirt," she said as she cocked her head to one side feigning ignorance. 

His eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry. _Your_ sweatshirt?" he asked with a one sided smile. She merely stared up at him as if she didn't understand his confusion.

"Yes, my sweatshirt… I think that if you have a piece of clothing for at least a year it qualifies as yours," she said smiling. He only rolled his eyes and plopped down beside her.

"Ok, fine, _your_ sweatshirt," he conceded. "Now, may I ask what it is you're writing and why on the floor?" he asked peeking at her parchment. She'd been using dark green ink. He smiled.

"Oh," she said as she lifted it off the ground and handed it to him. He took it and began to read. "I was just writing down some possible passwords we could use for our door… last night we forgot to set one," she said blushing slightly once more as she remembered the previous night.  He pretended not to notice and began to earnestly look over her list. He knew her reasoning behind many of the words listed all though he found them rather… peculiar.

"_Lakeside Kiss… Balcony Talks… Unlikely Pair…_" he said out loud as he read a few of the many listed. When he looked at her with a cryptic expression she just smiled largely.

"So it'll be easy to remember," she said as she waited him for him to pick one. "I already have my favorite… maybe we like the same one," she said almost excitedly. He was amazed that she could be so child-like at the age of 20. He didn't let his slight amusement show, but instead looked at the list and thought hard to decided which one he would rather use. She sat in silence and waited while he chose it. He looked up after a few moments deliberation.

"Lakeside Kiss," he stated firmly as he looked to see her reaction. Her face lit up and she looked like she was seventeen again.

"That's the one I chose too!" she said as her hands came together in front of her. She grabbed the parchment and, after tossing it on the floor, jumped up and offered Draco her hand. Once he was standing too she dragged him over to the 'door'. "They said to just say it right?" she asked.

"No… we have to say 'password…' then the actual password…" he said. He then dramatically bowed towards the 'door' and looked up at her, "would you like the honor, madam?"

She gently patted him on the top of the head. "I do believe I would dear sir," she said as she looked back at the portal opening and said very clearly, "Password… Lakeside Kiss." Before their eyes a lock appeared where a doorknob would have normally been and a small silver key appeared in it and turned before disappearing again. Hermione let out a surprised squeak. "You know, no matter how long I know magic… it still astounds me," she said innocently.

At that moment it hit Draco how precious she truly was to him. She stood there, looking up at him. Her brown curls were gently framing her face. Her delicate wire-rimmed glasses had fallen to the edge of her nose.  The large sweatshirt she wore covered her thin stomach and small shoulders and arms, and her shorts revealed her long pale legs.  Draco couldn't hold himself back and he suddenly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him tightly.

She was a little confused at first, but did not resist. She instead closed her eyes and wrapped her much smaller arms around him and held on as tightly as he was. She heard him whisper into her hair, but didn't understand what he was saying.

"What?" she asked as she pulled back slightly to look into his face. In his eyes she saw remorse and became slightly worried.

"I said…" he paused, "I said I'm sorry I ever left you… I'm sorry I lost those three years…" he said as pain flashed across his silvery eyes. Her hands instantly went from around his neck and shoulders to either side of his face.

"Don't be sorry Draco… what's done is done, it can't be UN-done… you did what you thought was best for _me_… let's just forget about all that and try to enjoy now," she said as she stared up at him, her eyes wide. He didn't speak; instead he lifted one of his hands up and slowly removed her glasses. She blinked but never broke her gaze away from his. He used his other hand to slightly tilt her chin up towards his face. Her hands fell from his face to his shoulders as he slowly, almost too slowly for her tastes, moved in and allowed his lips to brush gently against hers before pulled away and lightly kissing the tip of her nose, and then her forehead.

His gentleness shocked her a little, but she did not complain. Instead she concentrated one the way his lips felt against her skin, the way he smelled, the way his hand had traced a small line from her jaw down her arm to her hand where it now rested.

As he pulled away her senses screamed in protest with the loss of him, but again she said nothing. She was consoled as he let his fingers intertwine with hers and handed her glasses back to her.

"Sorry," he said as he glanced at the glasses as they transferred from his hand to hers.

"Oh, don't be sorry," she said much as he had the night before. "Anytime you feel the need to do that, go riiight ahead," she said once again mimicking him. He let out a short laugh and proceeded to lead her up the steps. She didn't ask where they were going. When they reached the top of the stairs he stopped and turned around. Because their hands attached them to one another she complied and did the same.

"Now… we _have_ to do something about these rooms!" he said exasperatedly. She laughed at this and covered her mouth. He looked at her and, with a smile, shrugged his shoulders. "What?" he asked innocently. She merely shook her head and continued to hold her hand over her mouth to suppress her giggles at seeing Draco Malfoy being interested in decorating a room.  He rolled his eyes in a playful way.

He waited for her slight giggle fit to subside, enjoying the way she looked when she laughed like that. When she calmed down and returned her glasses to the bridge of her nose, he spoke.

"Okay, here's what I was thinking…" he began staring her right in the eye. She met his gaze levelly. "Of course I'll do my own room, and you'll do yours… but what about the common room and the bathroom? Should we do them together?" he asked almost hopefully. She was awed with this new aspect of Draco Malfoy. She nodded in agreement and decided to do their common room first.

After much deliberation, they eventually agreed on what it should look like and were happy with the fact that they could change it at any time if they became bored with it.  The walls were done in white (not too different from the beige, but the rest would make up for it's blandness) the wood in the room was changed to a rich mahogany. Because there were two couches, one was done in maroon and the other in hunter green. Draco said it should be that way to 'remember the good ol' days'. Hermione merely laughed.

They added similar touches around the room including all the little metal pieces on the windows, fireplace, tables, and picture frames were done in silver. After this, they proceeded to their shared bathroom.

The giant tub and sinks were redone in black marble while the counter tops were done in white causing a striking contrast. They added a feint gray design in the white wallpaper of a lion and a snake wrapped around one another.  And again, all metal pieces were done in silver.

"This room is a bit… dreary… don't ya think?" Hermione asked thoughtfully as she chewed on her lower lip. Without even waiting for a response Hermione pointed her wand to the counter space between the two sinks and said a few simple words. Suddenly a vase with bright wild flowers was sitting there, looking very out of place in the black and white room, but Hermione seemed pleases. "Makes it more cheery," she said when Draco looked at her questioningly.

They next did the hallway that connected all the rooms together, deciding to keep it in the same color scheme as the common room. After this they went their separate ways to do their own rooms.

Roughly half an hour later Draco emerged from his room and closed the door. He looked to Hermione's room and saw her door was still closed. He decided that while she worked he would bathe.

He went back in his room and grabbed a pair of khakis and a black tee shirt. He then proceeded to their newly decorated bathroom. When he entered he had to admit the flowers she'd added did make it a bit less… frightening. With a smile on his face he filled their tub with warm water and allowed himself to sink into it. He began to remember from the time he received his test to come back to Hogwart's till now… he hoped Dumbledore could explain.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco was in the middle of his shift at the broom shop when they mail arrived. It always arrived fairly late on Thursdays.  The boss wasn't in just yet and so Draco took the liberty of separating everyone's mail for him or her. He rarely, if ever, received mail at work and so was fairly surprised to see a rather thick packet addressed to Draco Malfoy sent from Hogwart's.  He opened the packet and after his confusion passed decided to ask for the rest of the day off.

            He waited until his boss came in and then showed him the packet. His boss, after seeing Dumbledore's own signature, agreed to give him the rest of the day off. Draco went straight to his small apartment right off of Diagon Alley. He sat at his small kitchen table and opened the packet. 

            It was a test. He hadn't expected to take anymore Hogwart's tests ever again, but for some insane reason decided he might as well take it. If it had seemed important enough to get out of work for he'd better do it.

            The test was almost eight rolls of parchment long. He never remembered any Hogwart's test being so long and diverse. 

He spent the rest of his afternoon filling out question after question. He only stopped for a break once and that was to grab a sandwich.  After he'd finished he read the last line.

            'Please return parchment to packet. Hold wand over packet and say, "Return to Sender". You will receive your results shortly.'

            Draco did as he was asked and the packet disappeared. Still slightly confused about the whole deal, Draco made his way across the kitchen and into his bedroom. His mind was thoroughly exhausted from the test and he promptly fell asleep. He awoke the next morning and had almost forgotten about the strange packet.

            That next morning be arose and began fixing a simple breakfast as he normally did. As usual, the first thing on his mind was Hermione Granger, but he forced those thoughts away. He knew if he thought about her too much he would get depressed and then the rest of his day would be ruined. He'd done it too many times not to realize that by now.

            After he finished making his scrambled eggs and toast, Draco went into the living room and sat down. He was just about to turn on the news on his television that was enchanted to play both Muggle and Wizarding stations when he heard a hard peck on his window. He didn't receive much mail at home and so was extremely surprised to see one. 

            He opened the window and one of the most beautiful owls he'd ever seen came flying through. Its feather's were jet black and it had what looked like a white mask over its startling ice blue eyes. Draco, having nothing else, offered the owl his meager breakfast as a thank you for delivering. The owl ate it hungrily and sat, waiting for Draco to open his single letter.

            He opened it and read silently. It read:

Mr. Malfoy,

Congratulations! You are one of the few who actually knew what you were doing on the test we sent you! Of course, I knew you would be.  I suppose you're wondering why we sent such a test, correct? Well, I'm afraid I cannot reveal that to you as of yet, but please trust me, if you decide to do as I ask you will find out soon enough. I would like to ask you to come to Hogwart's at the beginning of term and stay here. I can tell you no more than this, please strongly consider my request. You scored the highest possible mark on the Defense Against the Dark Art section. If you would be so kind, please send a reply back with my owl Frederick here. Take your time…

Sincerely Yours,

Albus Dumbledore

            "So you're name is Frederick huh?" Draco asked the strangely beautiful bird. "Well Frederick, if you'll be so kind as to wait just one more second so I can find a quill…" Draco said as he stood and began looking in a nearby cabinet. "Wait a minute," he said more quietly, "I'm talking to a bird… now I'm talking to myself… great…" he mumbled. "A-ha!" he exclaimed when he finally found a quill and a near dried up pot of black ink. He then tore off a section of unused parchment that happened to be lying on the table and hastily scribbled a note to Dumbledore.

            "Here, Frederick, take this back to Hogwart's," he said as he carefully strapped the note to his leg. 

As soon as Draco was finished tying the note to the bird's leg, it took off. Draco watched it go. The realization that he was going back to Hogwart's hit him like a ton of bricks.  He started to get nervous about who he would see… and he secretly was nervous that there was one person he wouldn't see… 

            Despite all that, Draco instantly began packing and writing a letter to his boss at the broom shop explaining the whole thing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            A loud knock on the door brought Draco from his silent memories. Even in memory he couldn't figure out why they were all here.

            "Draco?" came Hermione's questioning voice from the other side of the door. "Are you all right in there?" she asked a little louder.

            "Yeah Hermione, I'm fine… sorry almost done in here," he said as he looked around the room for towels. Thankfully while he'd been remembering what had happened his body still functioned normally and had washed his hair for him. He saw a black towel and grabbed it. 

            After rubbing all the water out of his hair that he could he wrapped the damp towel around his waist. Not wanting to make her wait any longer he opened the door. She was standing right in front of it about to knock again.

            "May I help you?" he asked trying to keep his face serious. He could tell she was formulation a retort when she noticed what he was wearing. Under his left arm he held his dirty clothes and under his right he held what he had planned on changing into.

            Her eyes widened and she looked away as inconspicuously as possible. He stifled a laugh.  He couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when embarrassed.

            "Um… I was wondering if you were done so I could go ahead and take a bath too… we have to meet Dumbledore later and…" he cut her off.

            "Yeah, sorry it took so long in there… I guess it's just been a while since I've been in a bathtub that nice and wanted to savor every blissful moment," he said seriously even though he was joking.

            "Oh Draco," she said suddenly afraid she'd done something wrong. "I'm sorry… if you want to go back in that's fine, I can wait…" she stopped speaking when she realized he was laughing quietly to himself. "What?" she asked as her hand that was not holding clean clothes came to rest on her hip.

            "Nothing… but I was just playing, I promise… I don't miss those bathtubs that much," he said through his laughter as he watched her scowl at him.

            "Good. Then you won't mind moving," she said as she stood and looked at him. As he smiled at her it became harder and harder not to smile in return. Rather than let him see her smile she simply brushed past him.

            "Hey!" he said as he turned around to face her but she merely smirked and closed the door in his face. She could hear him laughing all the way to his own room. When she heard it click shut she let herself fall the floor and sigh. It was like being in seventh year again… only better.

A/N – It's taken me sooooo long to update. Let's just say that because I'm a senior school has been sort of… erm… hectic… relationship troubles have been happening (but their over now so that will no longer be a problem)… and I've just had a little writer's block. BUT that's over now… so… yeah, please keep reading…


	6. Meeting

Disclaimer -- I do not own Harry Potter or affiliates, I do not own Hogwarts, but I DO own this story... which hasn't been updated in a million years...

A/N - I honestly don't know if anyone out there will still read this... since it has been, literally, a year and half since I updated it... but since then my life has changed...a LOT... I moved, changed schools, relationships, homework, grades, jobs, etc... so forgive the LONG pause, and just tell me what you think!!!

Chapter 6

_"Meeting"_

Hermione quickly stripped down and sank gracefully into the over-sized tub. She hurriedly washed her hair and body and then got out. Unlike Draco, she knew they had an appointment to make and wasn't about to be late on her first day!

She grabbed a white towel that was hanging on a rack next to the tub and dried off. As she went to grab the clothes she planned on wearing, she realized they weren't there. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

_Come on Hermione, you've got to keep your head here!... Maybe he'll still be in his room_, she thought hopefully as she picked up her discarded clothing and wrapped the huge fluffly white towel around herself.

Cautiously, she opened the door and peeked out. Draco's door was still closed and she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Quietly, she tiptoed out and made a beeline for her door. Just as she reached it, a very familiar voice met her ears.

"I think someone is rushing a bit," Draco's said from his position beside his door.

Hermione stopped and slowly turned around, her cheeks were burning a bright red. The sight of her embarassment caused Draco to smile lightly.

"I'm not... I was just... I..." she stumbled across her words with her eyes wide.

Draco merely laughed. He felt a little ashamed of laughing at her embarassment, but knew she wouldnt' be angry.

"Well... are you just gonna stand there all day? We _do_ have an appointment to meet you know?" he said playfully. Her embarassment vanished and her face became a playful scowl.

"You're infuriating Draco Malfoy," she said as she tried to suppress a smile. She quickly turned and had her hand on the doorknob when he replied.

"I may be infuriating, Hermione Granger, but you love me anyway," he said without realizing it. They both stopped dead in their tracks. If Hermione had turned around she would have seen Draco's eyes wide with fear.

"Um... I'll just be a minute... promise," she said as calmly as she could before entering her room and shutting the door quickly behind her.

Once there she leaned heavily against the door itself and closed her eyes. What he'd said was meant in jest... but it really hit home with Hermione.

She knew that she loved him... she'd just never told him. Ever since she left Hogwarts three years earlier she'd known that she loved him, and would never be able to love anyone else.

Without thinking, she walked quickly to where her bags lay. She grabbed the smallest and opened it up hurriedly. From inside she pulled out a small black box, and from within that she retrieved a piece of parchment that she'd read every day for the last three years. SHe scanned it quickly till her eyes rested on one line.

_I love you and I always will._

He'd written those words to her... and for the last three years she imagined he'd meant those words to mean that he was _in_ love with her. But now that he was here, she was beginning to question it. She knew she was in love with him. Not even three years time apart could take that away from her, but did he love her the same as he did then?

_"I'll ask him tonight," _she thought bravely before carefully replacing the letter in it's case. Quickly, she summoned some clothes from the nearest bag. She dropped her towel and slipped them on, barely noticing what she was wearing.

After muttering a quick drying spell on her hair, she went and looked in the mirror. The person that met her gaze was 17 year old Hermione Granger. She stood there wearing a pair of dark khakis that hugged her hips, but flared slightly in the legs, and a deep hunger green top that fell lightly off of each shoulder but fit her body closely.

Rather than waste time putting on makeup, she ran her hand through her loose brown curls, spritzed a bit of raspberry body spray on, and slipped on her favorite pair of black clogs.

She grabbed her shoulder bag that just happened to have a few quills, some spare parchment, and a few different colors of ink in it, and slung it over her shoulder before exiting her room.

Draco was down stairs in the common room. A small tawny owl was seated comfortable on his shoulder as he read a letter. Absently Draco fed the owl some treats that had been left in bowl by one of the couches. After three more treats the owl hooted happily and took off out the now open window.

Hermione took a deep breath. She kept her resolve to wait and talk to Draco about their "relatinship" later that night.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked cheerily as she descended the steps. He looked up smiled.

"A letter from Dumbledore. He wants us to meet him in the Great Hall for Breakfast, and then we start our "training," he said while using his fingers to make air quotes. "Whatever that means," he said more to himself as she sat the letter on the table that seperated the two couches. By this time, Hermione was standing next to him.

He looked down at her and couldn't help but stare.

He never thought he'd have the privilege of being this close to her again, or of seeing her smile up at him like she was.

"What?" she asked. He'd been staring.

"Nothing," he said with a smile. "Just thinking how beautiful you looked today," he said confidently. She blushed. "You're also quite striking when you blush like that," he said with a playful smirk. Her blush deepened.

"Thanks," she said embarassedly. She smiled anyway. It wasn't everyday that Draco Malfoy told you you were beautiful, and she wanted him to know that she enjoyed it immensely.

A silence filled the room. Draco waited patiently for Hermione to speak. She was just so darn cute when she was embarassed he couldn't help it.

"Well... um... shouldn't we be heading off for breakfast?" she asked finally breaking the silence.

"I think we should," he said with a devilish smile on his face. Hermione looked at him with a matter-of-fact fact expression on her face and headed for the door. Draco only smiled and followed her. She was out the door before he reached it, but within moments he'd caught up her her. He glanced behind him and noticed that Maya and Dray were still sleeping.

He looked down at her and could tell she was suppressing a smile. He didn't bother trying to hide his as they made their way towards the Great Hall.

"Hermione, why do you have a school bag when we're not actually _in_ school?" he asked while straining to keep a straight face.

"It never hurts to be prepared," she said with a smile. She did not meet his eye.

"You're right, it doesn't," he said as he suddenly took her hand in his. Then, out of nowhere, he stopped and spun her around to face him.

Without a word he pulled her to him and kissed her. The kiss was playful and warm, and as soon as it started it ended.

"Of course, it doesn't hurt to be UNprepared either," he said with his famous Malfoy smirk.

"You know, I think you're right," she said as if in deep thought before suprising him and pulling him into another kiss. When she pulled away, it was her turn to smirk as she once again turned and began walking towards the Great Hall. Before he could recover. He quickly did recover, though, and caught up with her once again. This time, he immediately took her hand in his and they walked the rest of the way in silence, each smiling broadly.

They reached the Great Hall and made their way towards the seats they had occupied the night before.

Neither noticed two ex-Gryffindor's watching them from behind. After Draco and Hermione sat, Harry and Ron entered. They eached glared at their former friend, and enemy. Draco noticed this, and when he looked to see if Hermione had as well, saw that she was caught up in converstaion with Millicent... er Milly.

Draco glared at the two men before Hermione's voice broke his concentration.

"Draco?" she said inquiringly when she saw the scowl on his face. "Is anything wrong?" she asked once he'd turned to face her. His expression softened.

"No... nothing's wrong," he assured her. Her expression showed him she doubted that, so to cease her worry he gently planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

A few of the older Gryffindor's and Slytherin's witnessed this and their mouths fell open as their eyes bulged.

Hermione giggled when she noticed this and silently pointed it out to Draco. He looked over at the Slytherin and shrugged, as if to say "What?"

After a few moments, the student's minds were too caught up in start of term classes and their Breakfast to care about some "old people".

After everyone had eaten, and all the students had departed along with all of the professors except Dumbledore, he spoke to them. With a flick of his fingers The long table they sat at was transformed into a much smaller, circular one, and they were all sitting around it.

Draco scowled when he saw who was sitting next to Hermione. It was none other that Potter himself. Harry saw Draco's scowl and smiled an evil smile. He was up to something. Draco just didn't know what.

The only thing that brought him out of his thoughts, was when Hermione scooted her chair closer to his, and their legs touched. He instantly grabbed her hand before she could lay it on the table and squeezed it. She looked up at him and nodded to where Harry sat on her right. Her eyes said were full of annoyance. He merely squeezed her hand, before turning when the Headmaster cleared his throat.

"I assume you all are wondering why you are here," there were murmurs of agreement from all around the table. "As you know, the threat of Voldemort," Neville, Lavendar, and Ron all cringed when the name was aid, "is gone. However, that does not mean that the Wizarding World is still safe. I asked you all to come here because you were the best of the best in certain areas.

"Mr. Longbottom, you excelled in Herbology. Ms. Brown, you did so in Divination. Mr. Weasley, it seems that you scored the highest in Care of Magical Creatures." Hermione suppressed a laugh at Ron's confused expression. "Mr. Potter, your scores as well as your actions showed what a tremendouse Flyer you are. Ms. Granger, your transfiguration scores were off the chart. The same goes for you Mr. Malfoy when referring to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ms. Bullstrode, Potions seems to be somewhat of an expertise for you, and Mr. Zambini, your Charms score was quite impressive.

"Now that we know that we each have a very special talent to share, I will tell you the real reason you are here. As I said, while the threat of Voldemort is gone," this time only Ron winced, "there are other magical threats out there. The Ministry has asked that I choose select students who are capable and willing to train and help fight against these dark forces when the time comes.

"I have chosen each of you because I believe that in the next fight you will be able to lead those people to victory. I also believe that you will be able to _train_ them in the meantime." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"For today, you all will sit in on classes and observe the professors. I will split you up into two groups, because eight people may be a tad bit distracting. Now, will Ms. Brown, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Zambibi, and Ms. Bullstrode, you will begin by observing Professor McGonnagal, while Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley observe professor Snape. I trust you each remember where the classrooms are. After you observations are complete, you may have the rest of the day to finish unpacking and relax. We have a long year ahead of us."

With that, he merely walked away and exited into a secret door behind where the head's table had been.

Neville looked at Millicent with a frightened expression on his face. She gave him a small smile before getting up and heading towards the Great Hall doors. Zambini was right behind her, followed at a distance by Lavendar and Neville. This left Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ron sitting in the Great Hall, alone.

"So, it seems we're going to be speding time together," Harry said with mean grin on his face. "Maybe, after all these years Granger, you might be able to loosen up a little towards Ron and myself. After all, we were _best friends_," he said with a suggestive look in his eyes, which instantly went from her face down to her chest.

Her face reddened in anger, but she did not cover herself up. She held her tongue.

"What? Can't come up with a comeback? Can't even say my name in anger? How 'bout this, you meet up with me later tonight, and I'll have you screaming my name for a whole different reason," he said as Ron chuckled.

Her eyes widened, and just as she was about to shout at him, Draco's calm voice penetrated the silence.

"Why Potter... didn't know you swang that way? I mean, what with you and Weasley together 24/7, I didn't think you liked... you know... women." He said calmly. Hermione glanced over at him. His face was deathly calm, but his eyes were burning with rage.

Harry stood up, followed closely by his shadow, er Ron. Just as Harry drew his wand Dumbledore reimerged.

"I trust we aren't having any problems," he said in a kindly voice, but his eyes too shone with something other than what his features protrayed.

"No professor, no trouble at all," Hermione said as she stood and pulled Draco with her. "We were just getting reacquainted. That's all. But, we don't want to be late!" she said as she pulled Draco along with her towards the Great Hall doors.

Before the doors shut completely, she could see Harry and Ron smiling at Dumbledore before excusing themselves as well.

Hermione, with her pack still slung over her shoulder, dragged Draco along. His muscles were tense and his jaw was clenched. Just before they reached the dungeons, Hermione stopped and stared Draco in the eye.

He looked angry, but she knew he wasn't angry with her. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. It only took him a second to respond before he kissed her back.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

"But I..." he began, but she cut him off with another kiss.

"Come on, we're going to be late. Wouldn't want Snape docking points from us, now would we?" she asked mischeviously. His muscles relaxed.

"I guess we wouldn't," she smiled when he smiled. They entered Snape's classroom moments before the class began.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger. Nearly late for class, just like when you were studnets here. Ah well. Please, sit at the front of the room where there are chairs waiting and don't make a sound," he said in his usual deadly quiet voice.

Hermione and Draco merely exchanged knowing glances before doing as they were told.

Little did they know, that two ex-Gryffindors had watched their hallway kisses, and were now madder than they had been three years prior. Together, they decided to make a plan that would either destroy the relationship that disgusted them so much, or destroy the people in it.

A/N. I started this story AGES ago and decided to take it back up. I hope what I've written is not disapointing. Please, read, review, flame, whatever. And if anyone wants to beta, just write to and ask, or ask in a comment. I just want READERS again... now, if you ARE reading this, go down to that little purple box and click GO!!!!!


	7. Back To School

Disclaimer - You know the drill. Don't own HP and company, do own plot and random new peoples and things!

A/N - Well, it's good to see that some people still like the story. It feels GREAT to be writing on it again... hopefully, this time, I'll get it finished before I have to go on a year's hiatus. But enough small talk, let's see how Snape's class goes and what kind of "relationship" talk Hermie and Drakie have... and no, they will not be called that in the story... ever :) Now, READ! REVIEW! GO!

Chapter 7

"Back To School"

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, what a treat it is for you to join us," Snape said acidly as Harry and Ron waltzed into the Potions Dungeon nearly 10 minutes late. "I trust Professor Dumbledore will not mind that you are not taking your task seriously."

Harry merely glared at his ex-teacher and once nemesis. Ron stood there and, surprisingly, stared straight at Snape without flinching.

"Why hello yourself Severus," Harry said with false gusto. "Where should we sit?" he asked with a faux smile plastered on his face. Snape glowered at him.

"Next to Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger will be fine. But if you're late again, you will not be allowed in this room. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Ron said from his stance slightly behind Harry.

Snape was slightly taken aback by Ron's boldness but did not allow it to show. His Slytherin heritage wouldn't allow that.

Harry and Ron roughly brushed past Snape and took the other two available seats in the front of the room. Draco had thought ahead, and was sure to place Hermione on the seat on the end next to Snape's desk so that if anyone had to sit next to Potty and the Weasel it would be him.

Despite their good past, he knew that the hostile feelings between Hermione and her two former best friends were stronger than they appeared, which was pretty strong anyway. Draco withstood the rest of the class, where occassionally Harry would turn and "accidentally" elbow Draco or whisper horrid things about Hermione in compromising situations to Ron, but they would be just loud enough for Draco to hear.

By the end of the class, Draco was silently fuming. Hermione didn't understand why, because everytime she'd try to ask him why Snape would be looking straight at her, and even though he wasn't her teacher anymore he still intimidated her.

After Potions was over and the class, which had just happened to be a double class of Slytherin's and Gryffindor's, had left Snape turned and glared at his four former students. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, the next time you are late for this session you will be locked out and the Headmaster will immediately be informed of the way you are viewing this project he's give you." Both Harry and Ron glared at Snape, but said nothing.

"As for you Ms. Granger," he paused and shared a look with Draco, "please refrain from talking so loudly next time," he said almost civilly to her.

"Of course Professor," she responded immediately. "I just need to reaquaint myself with the classroom setting. It won't happen again," she said hurriedly. Draco suppressed a chuckle at how much she sounded like the old Hermione.

"All right... Professor Dumbledore will tell you when and where to meet for your sessions. Hopefully you won't be in here for quite some time. Dismissed," he said. Draco stood, and Hermione followed after slinging her pack over her shoulder. Without a look at the others they made their way for the door.

Harry and Ron were close on their heels though. The hallway was nearly empty. All the students had gone to their next classes. Draco and Hermione were nearing the next bend in the hallway when a snide voice from behind them stopped them in their tracks.

"Lookie there Ron, it seems our little bookworm has filled out quite nicely in the rear, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah," Ron replied lamely.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermoine said Draco's face turn crimson. He spun and faced the two boys. "Don't talk about her like that," he said softly.

Hermione, in the week she'd known him before school ended, knew that voice meant trouble. Once or twice she'd heard him speak like that to a first year who'd wondered the corridors at the wrong time of night to scare them. The look on their faces was priceless, unlike the look on Harry's and Ron's at the moment.

"Why Malfoy. You're the one shagging her, figure you'd be proud that someone else noticed it," Harry said while glaring at the tall blonde Slytherin.

"I am not shagging her Potter," he said in that same deadly quiet tone. Hermione just stood and looked at the boys in front of her.

These were the boys that for nearly seven years of her life she would have trusted with her life. These were the boys who listened to her cry when Malfoy, the man she was now in love with, made her cry. Funny how things turn out, she thought to herself ironically.

"You're not?!" Harry asked with laughter in his dark green eyes. "Not even able to get any, eh Malfoy? Little Mudblood not letting you..." Harry began, but was cut off by Draco's yell.

"Don't you ever call her that! Do you hear me? Not ever!!" he yelled deeply. The sound of his voice made Hermione jump. But to know that it was protecting, and not hurting her, made her feel safe.

"Why not Draco? You're the one who named her after all," Harry said quietly and with a small snarl on his lips. "Come on Ron, let's go." And without another word they turned and left.

Draco stood staring at where they'd once stood. Hermione looked over at him and saw his chest heaving with his deep breaths. His neck was red and his fists were clenched at his sides. She tried to put her hand on his arm, but he pulled away. This gesture hurt her, but she tried not to let it show.

"Draco?" she said softly, after a moment more of heated silence. He looked down at her with pain in his eyes. "Draco... what's wrong?" she asked as she once again tried to touch his arm. This time he let her.

"Nothing," he lied.

"Draco, this isn't nothing," she said indicating the way he was acting. "Now, you know you can tell me anything... so tell me... please," she finished softly. His head fell slightly.

"He's right... I did give you that bloody name... it's my fault that name hurts you so much... it's my damn fault," he said softly. This time, the softness in his voice didn't protray danger, but personal pain, and Hermione knew it.

"It's ok," she said softly.

"No, it's not!" he said louder than he'd intended. "No it's not okay Hermione," he said more quietly. "It's not okay, because at one point I hurt you by saying it. I said it _to_ hurt you... and that makes it not okay."

"But it's over now. That part of our lives is over, done, gone, in the past," she said with small smile as she put her hand on his cheek. "These are our lives now..." she said as she stroked his cheek softly with her thumb. He closed his eyes and relished in her touch. After a moment he pulled her hand down and held it in his own.

"You're right... as always," he said with a small smile before pulling her hand up to his lips. He kissed it softly, before lowering it once more, all the while never relinquishing his grip.

"I know," she said with a quirky smile of her own. "Now, let's explore," she said with a childlike excitement barely hidden in her tone. He laughed, and together they walked around the castle and found little things that had changed since their school years there.

Hermione and Draco skipped lunch in the Great Hall and instead went to the kitchens to see if Dobby still worked there. He did, and when he saw Draco he'd nearly cried out in fear. Then Draco apologized to the little guy, if you can believe that, and Dobby _did_ cry, but not from fear.

After Dobby's tears were dry he made them sandwhiches and they ate them out beside the lake where they'd shared their first kiss. The sentiment was not lost on either of them.

"We'd better eat dinner in the Great Hall, wouldn't want to arouse suspicion," he said with a mischevious wink at his... well... his Hermione for lack of a better adjective to describe what she was to him.

"What do you mean?" she asked nervously, and sounding very much like a much younger version of herself.

"Nothing, calm down," he said with a chuckle as he encircled his shoulders with his arm. "I was just playing," he said with a smile. She crinkled her nose up at him and shook her head.

"Ya know Draco, while we were in school you never "played" I don't think... even the last week of school... you ever played... you were always so calm, so serious..." she said as she thought back.

"Well... that was before I knew I could play... that was when I thought playing was some sort of weakness... hell Hermione, I thought showing you how I felt was weakness enough," he answered honestly.

_This is my chance_, she thought as she opened her mouth to ask him how he truly felt. But of course, as timing would have it, a gang of first year Slytherin's happened to walk by and noticed Draco. There eyes went large as they all began babbling to him. Hermoine held her tongue. She would wait till later.

"You're Draco Malfoy aren't you?" a kid that had to have been a first year asked in what could have been interpretted as awe. Draco chuckled lightly. "Yeah, that's me," he said a little uncomfortably. She never thought she'd see the day that Draco Malfoy was uncomfortable with being well known. "Well... is that your girlfriend?" the same brave kid asked, as he indicated Hermione. She smiled, but waited for Draco to answer. His arms were still around her shoulders, and he squeezed them lightly.

"You could say that," he said with his infamous smirk upon his lips. "Was she in Slytherin too?" a different child asked as he looked at her oddly. "She's seems too nice to have been in Slytherin," he added honestly. Hermione laughed.

"No, I was in Gryffindor," she said seriously. A few kids gasped. "But... but... you can't get along then," a timid young girl said from behind the first boy who spoke.

"And who told you that?" Hermione asked the young girl.

"The... the older kids," she said honestly before looking around hastily to make sure no one older heard her.

"Well, you tell them that Mr. Draco Malfoy said it's just fine and dandy to get along with Gryffindor's. Besides, they can make the best friends you'll ever have," he said honestly. Every child there nodded their head. "Now, how about we all go to the Great Hall for dinner," he said with a smile. Once again, the entire group of children nodded, and waited to follow Draco and Hermione, who were still connected by Draco's arm around her shoulders, to the Great Hall.

Hermione was mildly shocked to see how well Draco handled these Slytherin children. He had never seemed that sweet and naive when he was younger, of course, she'd been the same age and things always look different when you're young... and small.

They entered the Great Hall followed closely by the group of first years. There were murmurs throughout the hall as this group of tiny people walked in with their noses in the air. Hermione turned and waved at the group before seating herself. Many of them beamed before seating themselves as well.

Draco ate hurriedly, all though Hermione wasn't sure why. She wasn't extremely hungry though, and so they finished at about the same time. Once Draco was sure Hermione was finished he stood and offered her his hand. She took it and he quickly led her out of the Great Hall.

Neither noticed two pairs of eyes on them the entire time.

Hermione was laughing and clutching a stitch in her side by the time they reached the painting of Maya and Dray. Once she could breath properly again she looked up at Draco, who was smiling.

"And why did we have to run all the way here, after shoveling down our food?" she asked with mock severity. He saw the twinkle in her eye, however, and merely answered her by kissing her quickly. "Is it so wrong to want to spend some time alone with you," he asked as he put his hand over his heart. She smiled and shook her head.

"No... I suppose not," she said. She couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"What are you two talking about?" Maya asked with a huge smile as she sat down with a large book in her lap. If you looked closely, you could see the title of the book, which was "Hogwarts, A History".

"Draco made me run here," Hermione said with false exasperation. Draco rolled his eyes and addressed the male inhabitant of the painting.

"Women!" he said as he shook his head. Dray only looked at Draco oddly.

"Women...?" he asked, waiting for the sentence to end. Draco smiled and chuckled.

"You'll understand someday," he said before glancing at Hermione who'd playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

"Lakeside Kiss," she announced proudly. With small waves from Maya and Dray, the door opened and Hermione stepped inside, followed closely by Draco.

Once the painting shut, Draco spun Hermione around so that she was facing him, before wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around. This caught Hermione off guard. When they stopped spinning, Draco couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

"What was that for?!" she asked as she stared up at him from inside the circle of his arms with a very happy confused look on her face.

"For making me happy," he replied honestly. She was about to ask how she'd made him happy just by walking to dinner with him, but he seemed to read her mind and answered anyway. "And no, it's not just the fact that you're here with me... it's just... you!" he said with a smile. She couldn't ever remember seeing him quite like this.

"So I make you happy?" she asked, as the cogs in her brain turned as she tried to think of a way to ask him what their relationship was exactly, without seeming rude... or silly.

"You keep me sane Hermione," he said a little more seriously than before, but with the same glint in this steel colored eyes. "For three years I would wake up every day thinking about you, and those thoughts kept me going. For three long years the only way I could hold you was in my dreams, and that was when I was the happiest. But now," he said as he picked her up again, causing her to smile, "now I can hold you almost anytime! Now I don't have to daydream about you, because you'll never be far away!" He said this with a final spin before sitting her on the ground once more. She beamed up at him.

Slowly, and without much of a reason, Draco leaned in and let his lips brush against hers. Her eyes closed as she relished in the feelings of his warmth touching her. She'd spent three years dreaming of those lips, and now here he was right in front of her. She smiled into their kiss.

After a moment's hesitation, she let her hand wander up into his hair, which was a little longer than she remembered it, but not much. She let his feathery soft hair run through her fingers as she brushed them through.

Within moments his hands found their way to her hair and he gently cupped the back of her head. He too was relishing the feeling of her auburn curls between his fingers. He heard her moan into his mouth. Without realizing it they both began to deepen the kiss.

She held onto him as tightly as she could. For some reason she couldn't feel close enough.

After a few more moments, when things were about to go a little out of control, Draco slowed down. He disentangled his hand from her hair, regardless of his desire to keep it there forever, and cupped it around her face. He slowed his kisses, and gentled them. She followed suit and after a moment or two more they shared one final kiss, that was barely a brushing of their lips. He leaned down and their foreheads connected.

"Wow," she breathed with her eyes still closed. She slowly disentangled her hands from his hair as well.

"Wow is right," he agreed just as quietly.

Hermione leaned back and looked up at this man. She stared at him and thought before she spoke. This was the man who, at one point in her life, she'd hated. This was also the man who had been there for her when she needed it most. This was the man she'd given her heart to without knowing it. And now, this was the man she was going to discuss a serious matter with... the matter of their relationship. She had to know what all this meant to him. And so, she said the first thing that came to mind.

Quietly, she said, "Draco... we need to talk."

A/N... was that evil of me? I think so! :) hehe. I know that the Herm/Draco stuff can get fluffy ooey gooey, but I just can't help it. It's my favorite of all favorite parts!!! so please, read/review/flame/whatever you have to do... I really hope you like it so far though. Oh, and if you want more action, just lemme know. I want YOU all to love it! :) Now, hit the purple Go button... go on, you know you wanna!


	8. Truths And A View

Disclaimer ::: The characters aren't mine... blah blah blah... the setting isn't mine... yadda yadda... the plot is mine. Fin.

A/N ::: Sorry if there are spelling errors in this guys... I type... and my mind races ahead of my fingers... and BAM spelling errors... and I don't always catch 'em... so... um... look over them? Or, in your review, tell if they're really bad and I'll go back and fix 'em... yeah.

Last time on SFTP...

"Wow," she breathed with her eyes still closed. She slowly disentangled her hands from his hair as well.

"Wow is right," he agreed just as quietly.

Hermione leaned back and looked up at this man. She stared at him and thought before she spoke. This was the man who, at one point in her life, she'd hated. This was also the man who had been there for her when she needed it most. This was the man she'd given her heart to without knowing it. And now, this was the man she was going to discuss a serious matter with... the matter of their relationship. She had to know what all this meant to him. And so, she said the first thing that came to mind.

Quietly, she said, "Draco... we need to talk."

**Chapter 8**

**"Truths And A View"**

"We need to talk?" he asked weakly as he stared down into her chocolaty eyes. She nodded, her lips were set with resolve. "Uh... what about?" he asked, becoming a little nervous.

"Why don't we sit down..." she said as she broke away from his grasp and took his hand, before leading him to one of their couches. He followed her like a scared child. She sat and patted the seat next to her. He complied with her silent request and sat as well.

"Draco," she began as she took his hand in her own and looked up into his eyes, "there is a matter we need to discuss. I realize that it may not be... well... easy... um..."

She'd started off strong, but as she continued she began to stumble over her words. He took her other hand in his and kissed it lightly.

"Just say what you need to say 'Mione," he said, even though he wasn't sure if this was good, or bad, for him. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I know this isn't the best way to ask this... but it's driving me crazy and... well... I need to know... um... what-our-relationship-really-is," she finished hurriedly. Relief instantly swept over Draco. He smiled at her, even though she couldn't see him because her eyes were still closed tightly. He leaned in and kissed her nose lightly.

This wasn't what she'd been expecting and her eyes opened as her brow crinkled in confusion. He chuckled at her expression.

"This isn't funny Draco," she said with a very professional air about her, as if she were in some sort of meeting talking to an underling. This made him chuckle a little more.

"I know it isn't funny... but you're so cute, I can't help but laugh," he said as he nuzzled his nose against her. She smiled a little, but was baffled by his behavior. "And, honestly, I would think, with you being so brainy, you'd know what our relationship was," he said vaguely. She leaned her head forward and quirked one eyebrow, as if to say, if you're so smart then just tell me. He laughed a little more.

Rather than saying anything, he leaned in and kissed her passionately. She was caught off guard but quickly recovered and wrapped her arms around his neck. Oddly enough, the ring on her left hand became warm and she felt soothed. After a few moments he slowed their kiss and her ring cooled. When he pulled away he held her left hand up in front of her face.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked with a playful smirk on his lips. She nodded, then shook her head.

"I'm not sure..." she answered honestly and lowered her face. He wasted no time in cupping her face in his hands and bringing it up to meet his eyes.

"Hermione," he said softly, "from the day I left you three years ago, you're the only person I've even thought of. Every night, I dreamt of you. Every morning, I woke up seeing your face before I opened my eyes. Each day was torture because you weren't there...

"I didn't leave the ring on your finger by accident... I left it because somehow, deep down, I knew it was meant for you... I left it because I wanted only you to have that part of me... forever," he finished while staring into her eyes. She only stared as her heart beat a million times a minute. "Does that answer your question a little bit better?" he asked with a small smile on his lips. She returned his smile before kissing him sweetly.

When she pulled away, she nodded. "Much better... we're... us," she stated firmly. This made him smile even more.

"Us," he repeated. "I like the sound of that." Her smile widened even more, if it was possible.

"So do I," she agreed with a grin before leaning in and kissing him deeply.

---------------------------------------------

While Hermione and Draco were having their "talk", Harry and Ron were busy with something of their own. They sat in the Hogshead, each drinking firewhiskey.

"I don't like seeing her with him," Ron said to Harry before talking a gulp of firewhiskey. "I didn't like it before, and I don't like it now."

"I don't either Ron. She gave us up, for him. That low down, slimy, git... we have to make him pay," Harry said before downing the remainder of his drink.

"No..." Ron said quietly, "We have to make them both pay."

They each sat there for a moment staring at nothing, when Harry's face brightened considerably. His eyes narrowed as a smile appeared on his lips.

"Ron... I have a plan."

----------------------------------------------

After Hermione and Draco had their talk, they decided it would best to stay in for the night. They didn't want to chance running into Harry or Ron and ruining their mutual happy mood. So instead, merely sat back and talked as they watched the fire burn in the fire place. After a while they fell asleep, Hermione leaning against Draco, and Draco against the couch.

They were awoken by a tapping at their window. Draco allowed Hermione to sit up and stretch, while he went to see what ruined his perfect spot.

An owl was flapping its wings madly on the other side of the glass and tapping to get in. Draco opened the window and a black and white owl flew in and landed right next to Hermione on the couch.

Draco, whose mind was clearing from the fog of sleep, could swear he "knew" this owl from somewhere. He walked back to where they sat and sat as well.

The owl, who was very offended by the fact that Draco disturbed his perch, hopped up onto the back of the couch and hooted softly in triumph. There was a small note tied to his leg.

"May I?" Hermione asked after yawning widely. The owl, if you can believe it, nodded its head once before presenting his leg to her. She pulled the string that was holding the note in place and allowed the note to fall into her other hand. The owl stood there proudly and waited while Hermione read the note out loud.

"It's from Dumbledore," she said before yawning again. He couldn't help but notice the adorable way her nose scrunched when she yawned, but he kept this to himself.

"Well, what's it say?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.

My Former Students, she read.

I noticed upon your arrival that not all of you had owls of your own. I do not expect all of my students to have them, but I would like a constant way to communicate with you, who are in training. The owl that delivered your note, is officially yours until your stay at Hogwarts is over. Feel free to send him or her to take letters home, but I want to stress how important it is that they be back to Hogwarts every Friday by no later than 8 pm. I hope these particular owls suit you. And I am sure that one in particular will suit you, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger.

Sincerity,

Professor Albus Dumbledore

"What do you think he meant by it "suiting" us?" he asked as he looked the black and white bird over, trying to place where he'd seen it before. Hermione was silent for a moment while she thought.

"Well," she began hesitantly, "Dumbledore always does know what going on.. right?" He nodded. "Maybe he knows about... us... and knows how different we are... er... were from one another, just like black and white... but... when put together, it's a beautiful thing," she suggested quietly. For a moment she wouldn't meet his eye. When she did she scowled playfully.

"Draco, are you about to laugh at me?" He chuckled lightly.

"Of course not 'Mione... I just think it's cute how you put two and two together like you do... and I think you're right about what Dumbledore meant... you just said it... cutely... yeah," he finished lamely, now embarrassed at his usage of words. Now it was her turn to smile.

"Well, you're cute when you can't say things very well," she said as a come back with her nose in the air.

"Oh... is that how it is?" he asked with raised eyebrows. She nodded defiantly. "All right then, you asked for it. You're gonna get exactly what you deserve," he said before standing and picking her up over his shoulder. She shrieked and held onto him tightly.

"Where are we going?" she asked in between giggles as he headed for the portrait.

"You'll see... and don't forget, you asked for it," he said as he tried to suppress a smile.

They left the portrait, and after a few minutes, Hermione stopped struggling to get loose. Instead, she just propped her elbows on his shoulder blades and tried to enjoy the "ride".

As Draco walked through the castle with Hermione on his shoulder, he received a few strange looks from students. Each time he'd say, "It's getting late, shouldn't you be in your common room? Do I need to dock points?" and each time they'd scurry on, even Slytherins. Finally, they reached outside.

"Draco, I demand you tell me where we are going," Hermione said while trying her best to sound serious and in charge. This made Draco laugh.

"Hermione, love, you really are in no position to demand anything right now. Just hold your horses, we're almost there." With an exasperated sigh she complied and was silent until they reached their destination.

He'd taken her to the shed, near Hagrid's hut, where special brooms were kept for safe keeping.

Draco walked right up to Hagrid's door and knocked.

"'Old on jus' a secon'," he said from inside before opening the door. "Who could it be after dark?" They heard him mumble from inside. When the door opened, his face registered shock.

"Hello Hagrid," Draco said civilly.

"Uh... 'ello Mal...er... Draco. Um, an' 'ose that ya' got there?" Hermione turned her head as best as she could and waved.

"Hi Hagrid," she said with a half smile on her face. Hagrid's expression softened considerably.

"Oh, 'ello 'ermione! What can I do for ya' two?" he asked with a grin.

"Well, I was wondering if we could get into the broom shed. I had my broom sent, but I was told I had to go through you to get it," Draco said with a tight lipped smile on his face.

"A broom?" Hermione asked with a little nervousness in her voice. Draco smiled evilly and winked at Hagrid. He seemed to understand Draco's meaning.

"Oh, yeah. Sure do Draco, I seem ta' remember gettin' it in actually. Jus' follow me and we'll go an' geh' it." Hagrid disappeared in his hut for a moment, before returning with a ring of keys.

Draco followed him, with Hermione in tow of course, to the shed. Once there, Hagrid opened the door and retrieved a broom that was clearly tagged DRACO MALFOY.

"Here ya' go! An', have fun flyin' 'Ermione," he said with a wink to Draco and a smile for her. Her eyes were wide and she gulped. Hagrid only laughed as he walked back to his hut.

"I'm going to sit you down now Hermione. Promise you won't run away," he said as if talking to a child.

"I promise," she said dejectedly. He then sat her on the ground and kissed her nose. "Ready to fly with me?" he asked with an odd twinkle in his eye.

"You won't drop me will you?" she asked with large puppy dog eyes. He only wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"And lose you a second time?" he asked seriously. "Never." She smiled and took a deep breath, before nodding.

"Okay then."

Without another word he pulled the name tag off of his broom, and positioned so that he could mount it. After doing so, he scooted back a little and motioned for Hermione to do the same. She did so a little less gracefully.

He wrapped one around her waist, and the other around the handle of the broom. She let her hands hold onto him anywhere she could.

Without warning, he kicked off and they sped upward.

When Hermione felt the ground leave her feet she squealed and covered her face with her hands. He chuckled at this, but held her a little more tightly so she wouldn't feel unsafe. He could feel her breathing slow slightly when he did this.

After a few minutes, when Draco was as high as he planned on going, he put his mouth close to her ear.

"Look," he said through the wind. She slowly removed her hands from her eyes, and put them behind her on Draco's legs and then opened her eyes. She gasped at what she saw.

There was Hogwarts, spread before her like some kind of surreal painting. The lights in the castle were flickering in the darkness. The lake shimmered with moon and starlight. Hermione's breath was caught in her throat.

"I thought you said I was gonna get what I deserve?" she said as she allowed her body to lose its tenseness slightly and lean back against him.

"You are. You're getting one of the only kinds of beauties I can give you," he said into her hair where he assumed her ear was. She smiled and wrapped her arms around her waist, being sure to hold his arm beneath her own.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she surveyed around her.

"Don't thank me yet. Now it's time to show you that flying is only scary when you don't trust the person with you." She took a deep breath. "Do you trust me Hermione?" he asked seriously.

"Yes," she responded honestly.

"Okay, I need you to lean up and take the broom in both hands. Don't worry, I won't let go." She did as asked. "Now, let's fly," he said as he tipped the nose down and they gradually sped up.

At first she was scared. She'd only even allowed her broom to float downwards from her dorm's balcony to the ground. She'd never even let Harry or Ron fly her. But after a moment, she began to enjoy the sensation. She knew she was safe. Draco wouldn't let anything happen to her.

After a while, Draco slowed them down and took them to land by the shed. He dismounted after Hermione and put the broom back in the shed, which Hagrid had left open for them.

After he locked it back he turned to face her. Her hair was wild from the wind, and her cheeks were rosy from the chill in the air, but her eyes were bright and a huge smile was spread across her face. He smiled in return.

"So I take it you liked it?" he asked with his trademark smirk.

"I loved it!" she announced loudly. "I never knew it could be so... exhilarating!" she said as she threw her hands up in the air to exaggerate her point.

"Well, it's only exhilarating if you have someone as good as me there with you," he said cockily. She smiled even more at this.

"Ya know, I believe you're right," she said as she walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "Thank you... again," she said.

"You are very welcome," he responded with his arms resting on her hips. "Now, its cold, and I want to go in.

He began to walk off, but noticed she was not with him.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked with raised eyebrows. She put her hands on her hips and cocked them to one side.

"I didn't walk out here, and I'm not walking back," she said with a very snooty tone. He only shook his head. He made his way back over to her, and for the second time that day, threw her over his shoulder.

"Ya know, I'm not usually this nice," he said as he carried her back to the castle. She was laughing.

"Well, I'm not usually this much of a prat. I suppose we're rubbing off on each other," she said with a pat on his back. He laughed.

"I suppose so. Good for us," he said as they made their way back.

No one was out in the corridors except the Head Boy, Head Girl, and prefects. Those that saw Draco and Hermione looked at them oddly, but held their tongues.

When they reached their portrait, Maya was asleep. Dray looked at them oddly, but then said to Draco, "Women." This caused both Hermione and Draco to laugh before giving their password. Dray was confused about their laughter, but let them in anyway.

When they reached the warmth and comfort of their common room, he sat her down.

"Well, that was a nice ride," she said looking up at him. "Thanks!" He rolled his eyes.

"Ya know, if you weren't so... so... so you, I'd be kind of upset right now."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm me then isn't it?"

"I guess it is," he replied exasperatedly.

"Well... good night then," she said as she started to walk away. She didn't get very far, however, when he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

Before she could voice her protest he captured her lips in a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes. Their kiss lasted a few moments, before slowing. They each pulled away with smiles on their faces.

"There," he said with finality. "Now you can go to bed." His smile was plastered to his lips. She shook her head, leaned up and kissed him one final time before pulling away from his embrace.

"Good night Draco," she said with a smile. "See you bright and early," she said as she walked up the stairs.

"'Night 'Mione," he said as she turned and waved, before disappearing behind her door.

Once her door shut, he ran his fingers through his hair and retired to his own room with a silly-happy grin on his face.

A/N - Well guys, I know this chappie had quite a bit of fluff, like most of them, but I really like it... it sort of shows how their relationship is progressing... kind of... yeah... I know, how 'bout you all tell ME what's going on... Feedback rocks my socks off guys. More reviews more chappies... If I could get 100 reviews in the near future, it would make my day!!! So, click the purple button and get to typing.

I love all of you! But ESPECIALLY those who review. HUGE CHEESY GRIN


	9. Classes And Announcements

Disclaimer - I claim nothing that isn't rightfully mine.

A/N - Okay... I am not getting review out the wazoo like I'd love to... so... here's the deal, all of you who DO read this... please, tell a friend to read it too. I don't care if they flame me... just reviews good. They motivate me to write. Flames get me 'fired up' chuckles to write and prove how wrong the were. Reviews make me smile, and write to get MORE reviews. Get it? Got it? Good...

Now... Last time on SFTP...

"Well... good night then," she said as she started to walk away. She didn't get very far, however, when he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

Before she could voice her protest he captured her lips in a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes. Their kiss lasted a few moments, before slowing. They each pulled away with smiles on their faces.

"There," he said with finality. "Now you can go to bed." His smile was plastered to his lips. She shook her head, leaned up and kissed him one final time before pulling away from his embrace.

"Good night Draco," she said with a smile. "See you bright and early," she said as she walked up the stairs.

"'Night 'Mione," he said as she turned and waved, before disappearing behind her door.

Once her door shut, he ran his fingers through his hair and retired to his own room with a silly-happy grin on his face.

Chapter 9  
"Classes And Announcements"

Hermione awoke the next morning to a soft hooting sound. She looked over to the window, and realized the owl Dumbledore had given them was hooting to welcome the sunrise, just like a rooster would. She yawned.

She highly doubted that Draco would be up this early, but decided to get up anyway. She stood, stretched, and pulled her hair back in a loose bun so it would stay out of her face. After doing so, she crept out of her room, leaving the door open so the owl wouldn't be trapped inside, and tiptoed to Draco's door. It was slightly ajar. This gave her an idea.

As quietly as she could she opened the door and slid inside. His room was dark, and the shades of the windows were drawn, but she could clearly see Draco sprawled out under his covers. His blonde hair was tousled and partially covering his sleeping face. Her ring warmed as she watched him.

After snapping out of her daze, she tiptoed over to him and crouched next to the bed so she could see his face.

"Ya know Mione, it's not polite to stare," he said as he opened one eye and smiled. Her mouth opened in surprise and he chuckled.

"How did you know...?" she asked as she stared at him. He didn't answer, instead he sat up enough to grab her around the waist and pull her down next to him. She didn't try to get away, or argue. Instead she snuggled against him, facing his chest. He pulled the covers over both of them and closed his eyes once more.

"Not yet Mr. Malfoy," she said as she used her free hand to open one of his eyes. "You didn't answer my question." He sighed before removing her hand from his eye, and holding it against his chest between their bodies. Then he shrugged.

"Dunno really. Since we got back here... it's like I can sense you or something," he said before yawning. "Now, if you don't mind, I plan on getting some more sleep. Feel free to join me," he said as he pulled her closer, kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes as well. The last thing she remembered before drifting off was Draco's hand lightly pulling the hair tie out of her hair and letting it fall against the bed.

She awoke a few hours later, and was met with sliver eyes staring at her. She yawned and covered her mouth.

"You know Drake," she said trying out a new nickname to gauge his reaction, "it's not nice to stare." He smirked.

"Just repaying the favor," he said before leaning in and kissing her nose. She wasn't sure why he did this, but she liked it immensely.

"Thanks," she said sarcastically as she stifled another yawn with her hand.

"Ya know," he began as he pulled her closer to his body as he lay on his back, "I could get used to this."

"Used to what?" she asked, only half unsure of what he meant.

"This," he said indicating their position. "I mean... I don't wanna take things too fast or anything," he said trying to reassure her, "but... I like waking up next to you," he said honestly.

She smiled against his chest, which she suddenly realized was bare. She blushed.

"I think I might be able to get used to it as well," she said her cheeks still flushed.

"Well... perhaps tomorrow morning... but now, we have to get ready for class," he said with a roll of his eye. She smiled. Unlike Draco, she still loved going to class, even if it was to observe the teacher, rather than learn from them.

"Who do we have today?" she asked as she sat up and stretched. He watched her stretch from behind her back, but said nothing. He wasn't ready to tell her how attractive (the nice word for 'damn sexy') she was yet. He didn't think she was ready to hear it yet either.

"Um," he said when she looked back waiting for an answer, "I think we have McGonnagal," he said after he regained himself. She looked at him funny, before standing and stretching again.

"That should be fun," she said oblivious to what she was doing to him. "I'm going to go get ready... don't leave without me... okay?" she asked in a very childlike manner. He nodded.

"You know I wouldn't." She smiled, leaned down and kissed him on the nose, and then walked out. He only shook his head with a smile, before getting up to get ready himself.

He was down in the common room fifteen minutes later. Being a wizard did have its advantages.

Surprisingly he didn't have to wait for her long, because she too took advantage of her magic and was ready shortly after he himself was.

As usual, she took his breath away, but it wasn't because of she was wearing anything particularly revealing. It was just her. The way she was.

He was sitting on the couch facing the stairs, when she descended them. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, seated close to her neck, so that stray hairs were escaping everywhere. She wore a white button up, with, surprisingly, a crimson and gold tye. Below this she wore a crimson plaid skirt that reached the middle of her thigh. And the whole outfit was topped off with classic Hogwart's Mary Janes. She also, of course, had her pack slung over her shoulder.

She looked like she was back in school. He smirked.

"And what is that smirk for?" she asked with her hands on her hips as she stood at the base of the stairs. He stood and walked towards her.

"Oh... nothing really," he said as he circled around her. She wasn't sure what he was doing, and so she stood still, hands remaining on their perches.

"Well... what are you doing?" she asked, slightly exasperated with his prowling demeanor.

"Just looking," he said innocently as he came to stand directly in front of her, his hand on his chin as if in deep thought.

"And just, Mr. Malfoy, are you looking so intently at?" she asked as she scowled playfully up at him.

"I'd say every school boys dream come true," he said with a devilish smile. She blushed, a shade that easily matched the crimson in her tie.

"Draco Malfoy!" she said, slightly outraged, slightly complimented. He looked at her with innocent eyes, as if to say 'what?'.

"It's true 'Mione," he said giving her an appraising look. "If you'd been someone to teach me, when I was a boy, I'd have been goggling at you nonestop... and I believe I would have had some very... interesting... dreams," he said with a wink. Her mouth flew open and she playfully smacked his arm. He only chuckled.

"Well, it's good then that not all young men's minds are as capable of... wandering... as yours."

You'd be surprised. He thought.

"But really... why are you dressed as a, well, student?" he asked finally, after their little game ended.

"Because, Dumbledore requested it," she said snootily, as she handed him a piece of parchment that an owl must have delivered that morning. It basically said he would appreciated it if his former students would dress in their old house colors, and that because of their position in between students, and teachers, no robes would be best.

"So, I suggest you go change out of those clothes," she said as she appreciatively eyed his fairly tight white tee shirt and blue jeans, "and into something a little bit more.. Hogwarts oriented."

He gave her a small bow, and with a flick of his wand he was now decked out much the same as she was, minue the skirt of course.

He wore a nicely fitted white button up, with a tye in the colors of green and silver, naturally, as well as a pair of black slacks, and black shoes. She nodded approvingly, before her face lit up with an idea. WIthout a word, she reached over and pulled his tye loose. He was shocked, but decided to see what she was up to first.

After removing his tye, she removed her own, and placed his over her head. She then slid hers over his and tightened them both.

"There," she said with a smile as she admired her handy work.

"There?" he asked confused. "What do you mean there?"

"I've just done one more little thing to help with inner-house unity," she stated proudly. "A Slytherin in Gryffindor colors, and vice versa." He couldn't help but smile in return at her proud stance.

"Nicely done, Ms. Gryffindor," he said as he stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Now, if this Slytherin might ask for one more kiss, before we head to class." She only smiled as he leaned down and kissed her softly.

The kiss was meant to be sweet, and short, but soon it was evident that was not going to happen. Hermione pulled away first, with a smile.

"Later," she said as she stood on her toes and kissed his nose, which he wrinkled. She laughed and began to walk away.

"You know," he said as he caught up with her at the portrait hole, "the whole 'nose kissing thing'... that's my job." He almost sounded whiny, and she suppressed a chuckle.

The door closed behind them and she waved back to their friends, Maya and Dray.

"But I like to kiss your nose... so I think I'll keep doing it," she said with a smirk of her own, as they walked towards the Great Hall. He only shook his head as he captured her hand in his.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. After eating, they reported to McGonnagal's classroom where, sadly, Potter and Weasley were waiting for them. Once again Draco was sure to seperate Hermione from them as they observed McGonnagal's teaching methods.

When the class ended, Potter and Weasley left quickly, but Hermione was too wrapped up in a discussion with McGonnagal to notice. Draco, however, did notice and was very suspicous. He forgot his suspicions, however, when Hermione's hand slipped into his and they walked to their next assignment, which was with Professor Binns.

Even sitting in just to listen was a bore, and soon Draco began doodling on some parchment Hermione had with her. He drew a dragon, and with a quick little spell had it snoozing on the page. He then drew a second dragon who, occassionally, would breath little bouts of flame on the first and wake it up, before it went back to sleep again.

Hermione, rather than reprimand him, watched in great earnest. It seemed she too was bored with their lecture, and both were happy when it ended.

The rest of the day was spend going in and out of classes, and observing their former teachers in a new light. They were both relieved when dinner time rolled around.

They sat, at the professor's table, and began to eat when Dumbledore stood to make an announcement.

"Attention! I have a surprise for you all! Next week, we will be having our first annual talent show, for both teachers and pupils alike! You are not forced to participate, but the winner will recieve a rather handsome prize. Sign up sheets are posted outside the Great Hall, now eat up!" he said before sitting.

Draco looked at Hermione quizzically and she returned the look in turn.

"What do you think this is all about?" Milly asked from Hermione left side. She turned and shrugged to the girl, who wore a green and silver tye, much like the one she wore, and a matching skirt.

Before Hermione could voice her opinion, Snape glided over to them and cleared his throat. They all looked at him patiently, except Hermione who still had a bit of fear from him left inside of her.

"Professor Dumbledore would like me to inform you that, while staff, yourselves included in that category, aren't forced to participate, it is highly suggested that you do. And if you cannot think of anything, he would be more than happy to... assist." Snape looked disgusted with the thought of performing. But, without another word, he turned and went back to his seat looking disgruntled. Dumbledore looked down the table at Hermione, and smiled.

"So..." she said to the air in front of her as it sank in. She'd have to perform in front of the school, as a teacher. Her head spun.

"So," Draco responded cheerily.

"How can you be so... happy... about this?" she asked looking at him as if he had an extra head. He smiled.

"Because I know exactly what I am going to do. I'm going to sing," he said with a broad grin across his face. Her mouth fell open slightly.

"I didn't know you sang," she said honestly. He smiled even more.

"Most people don't... but I have this song... from a band I love, that means a lot to me... and will really mean a lot to a few other people here too," he said with a quick menacing glance down the table at Harry and Ron.

Hermione looked where he looked. It still hurt her slightly to see her friends away from her, hating her so much. But... because of certain aspects of her past, other than Draco, she knew their friendship was broken beyond repair.

As memories of why their friendship started to deteriorate in the first place started to invade her mind she shook her head.

"Draco, whatever your song is, make it perfect," she said with a meaningful look in her eye. He nodded, knowing what she meant, and after kissing her on the temple, resumed his eating. She followed suit and was soon consumed with thoughts of what to do herself for the talent show.

A/N - I know... that chapter kind of sucked, but it sort of has to be put in. I hope that you all caught that there is something else in Herms' past with Harry and Ron, OTHER THAN DRACO, that tore them apart. You'll find out what that is in the next chatper, which is also, mind you, the talent show... I'm gonna skip bits here and there... Hope you all still like the story. Review please!


	10. The Library

**Disclaimer -- I own nothing that isn't rightfully mine to begin with.**

**A/N -- In the following chapter, you all will learn what exactly happened in the past with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I don't know if the talent show will be in this chapter or not... we'll just have to see how long the flashback is. As always, review! Also, I have one beta reader, but I'm always looking for more. If anyone, who is great at spell checking and grammar-checking, is interested just e-mail me at , or leave it in a review subliminal message telling you to review guys ;)**

Last time on SFTP...

_"I didn't know you sang," she said honestly. He smiled even more. _

_"Most people don't... but I have this song... from a band I love, that means a lot to me... and will really mean a lot to a few other people here too," he said with a quick menacing glance down the table at Harry and Ron. _

_Hermione looked where he looked. It still hurt her slightly to see her friends away from her, hating her so much. But... because of certain aspects of her past, other than Draco, she knew their friendship was broken beyond repair. _

_As memories of why their friendship started to deteriorate in the first place started to invade her mind she shook her head. _

_"Draco, whatever your song is, make it perfect," she said with a meaningful look in her eye. He nodded, knowing what she meant, and after kissing her on the temple, resumed his eating. She followed suit and was soon consumed with thoughts of what to do herself for the talent show._

**Chapter 10**

**"The Library"**

After dinner, Draco and Hermione headed back to their common room with full stomachs, and not much to say. While Draco was humming cheerily, Hermione's full stomach was doing flip flops at the thought of performing in front of Hogwarts in it's entirety. She had a few ideas of what she could do, but nothing really stood apart from the rest in her mind.

They reached the common room and Hermione immediately plopped on one of their couches with a quill in one hand, and some parchment in the other. She used her wand and summoned a clip board she'd brought with her from home and some navy blue ink.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked her with a puzzled expression as he plopped down next to her. She didn't look up, she merely began writing as she responded.

"I am making an organized list of things I could do for the talent show. This way I won't miss something important, and my choices will be more easily arranged for me." He smirked, but it was lost on her as her quill sped across the parchment and her eyes darted with it.

"Well, may I ask what you were _thinking_ of doing?" he asked sweetly. Her writing ceased as she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Honestly?" she asked before turning to look at him and opening her eyes once more.

"Honestly," he replied.

"I have no idea."

He could see the anxiousness in her eyes. They only had a week to prepare for the talent show, and he knew that must kill her as well. She loved having months to prepare in advance.

"Well..." he began, "what are some of your talents? Other than being brilliant," he said with a wink. She rolled her eyes, but her muscles seemed to relax slightly.

"I don't really have any I guess. I've always been so wrapped up in my studies I never really worked on any other "talents"," she said using air quotes to emphasize her point.

"You could always do something you're really good at," he suggested. She looked extremely forlorn.

"Like _what_?"

"Like magic," he stated simply. "You know, you're extremely clever Hermione. Just think up some magic that will be pretty, or fancy. Nothing harmful, just neat to look at, that no one else would think of..." when she didn't look totally convinced he used his trump card. "We could go to the library to research some," he said with a dashing smile. Her eyes brightened and she smiled.

"You're a genius!" she said as she lay her quill and parchment down, only to immediately throw her arms around him. "Can we go now?" she asked with puppy dog eyes. He laughed and stood, offering her his hand.

"Of course." She took his hand and hauled herself up, and began pulling him towards the portrait hole. Just as they reached it she stopped and spun around.

"Accio quill," she said as she pointed her want towards her fallen quill. It zoomed into her hand. She said a quick spell to clean it, and then jammed it into her bun which was still piled on the back of her head. "Now let's go," she said as she dragged him chuckling to the library.

After sitting in the library and pouring over books for nearly an hour, Draco stood and stretched.

"'Mione, do you care if I run over to the muggle literature section and check out some stuff for my own performance?" he asked as he stretched his arms above his head and arched his back. She looked up and smiled. Her reading glasses were perched on her nose, he hadn't even noticed her put them on.

"Go ahead. If I get done before you, I'll come and get you," she said with a smile. He smiled back and leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Ditto," he said with a wink before swaggering off. She sighed.

_I suppose he'll always be a Malfoy,_ she thought with a grin as she watched him walk away.

She pushed her thoughts away, no matter how pleasant they may be, and returned to her research. She closed the book she'd been taking notes from and grabbed the next one in the pile. Simple Spells To Impress Your Friends When she read the title her heart gave an unpleasant jolt.

She sat with it in her hands and stared at the cover. Slowly memories of the last time she'd held that book in her hand began creeping in her mind. She couldn't stop them and soon she was lost in her memory.

Flashback

_She sat in the library reading from Simple Spells To Impress Your Friends. She was in her seventh year, and as Head Girl, Dumbledore had asked her to tutor some of the younger students. She wanted to start off with something fun, and so had chosen this book._

_Just as she was reading on how to make an impressive entrance, two loud drunken voices met her ears._

_"Where's she Ron?" Harry slurred loudly._

_"It's Hermione... she's gotta be in h're somewhere," Ron slurred in response._

_"There she is!" Harry said with a goofy drunken smile. She forced a smile in return. They'd been drinking. She assumed butterbeer at the very least._

_"Were you looking for me?" she asked pleasantly as her best friend Ron, and current boyfriend Harry sat down. Harry's arm snaked around her waist as he pulled her close. SHe smiled and allowed him to do so, despite the fact that he was drunk and they were in public... sort of._

_"Of course!" Ron sputtered as he smacked his hands on the table. "Where have you been? We had a scrimmage against Slytherin, and we kicked their arses! We've been celebrating," he said with a crooked smile and very flushed cheeks._

_"I've been researching. And why are you so excited if it was only a scrimmage?" she asked gently. Harry tensed slightly and held her strongly against him._

_"Because, **love**, we beat that piece of filth Malfoy. It may not have been a real match, but it sets the tone for the rest of year," he hissed in her ear before biting her earlobe in a very unsweet way. This was why she hated it when he got drunk._

_She tried to pull away from him, but he held her tight and gave her a stern glare. She relaxed and tried talking to them._

_"Oh, guys, I've told you Malfoy's not as bad as he seemed before..." Ron's face turned a brighter shade of red as Harry's grip on her waist became painful. "I mean, he isn't nice or anything like that... I didn't mean..." she began as she got a little scared. _

_Before, everytime Harry would drink he'd get a little feisty and try stuff with her. Sometimes he was mean, sometimes he was just horny, but he'd always passed out or felt bad about it before anything happened. For some reason, this time Hermione was more afraid than usual._

_"Hey, Ron, old Hermione here thinks her little roomie's a good guy," Harry said through clenched teeth. Ron looked at Hermione with glazed eyes._

_"I bet she's letting him shag her," he said as his breathing got heavier. He licked his lips and Hermione visibly gulped._

_Harry put his face next to Hermione's and whispered. She could smell more than butterbeer on his breath._

_"So you're letting him shag you eh? I've not even shagged you. I suppose we'll have to change that, now won't we?" he asked huskily._

_"Now Harry, let's talk about this when you're a little bit more... yourself," she said as she tried to pull away without him noticing._

_"I am myself, the way I've always felt I should be," he said honestly with a strange gleam in his eye. "Now, come here and give us a kiss," he said before he crashed his lips upon hers._

_She whimpered in fear as she tried pushing against his chest. She bit his lip hard enough so it would hurt, but not hard enough for it to bleed, and he pulled away with rage written all over his features._

_"Harry, please, I'm not ready for this yet," she said as tears began to form in her eyes. He only scoffed and took her roughly by the shoulders._

_"You're not **ready**?!" he bellowed as he pulled her to her feet as he stood. "We've been together for nearly two years, and you've never been ready! Well I've had it. I've turned down women who were more than eager to shag me Hermione, and now that I have you here, I'm not going to miss this chance. Now shut up!" he said as his lips crashed down on hers once again. _

_She whimpered again and she felt him smile into her mouth. He moved away from her mouth and began to bite her neck and shoulders. Each bite caused Hermione to wince as tears began to fall down her face. During the whole ordeal she never stopped struggling ot get away. He was just stronger than her._

_"Ron, please, help me," she begged as she looked at her red headed best friend. "Please..." she begged as she held in a sob. Ron snorted_

_"Help **you**? Why would I help you? You chose this ya know... you could have had me, but you had to choose Harry. Mind you, he's my best mate, so I was happy for him, but you deserve this for what you did to me," he said as he grinned in a way Hermione had never seen. He looked like an animal._

_"Ron, you're right," Harry said as he stopped biting the little bit of exposed flesh on Hermione's neck and shoulder. "Do you wanna go as well?" he asked. Ron's grin widened as he nodded. He stood from the table and swaggered over to where they stood._

_"I'll hold her down first," Ron said with a grin. Harry merely pushed Hermione into Ron as he pulled her to the ground and pinned her shoulders before pulled her arms up above her head and holding them to the ground as well. Harry then climbed ontop of her and ripped the buttons away from her white blouse. A sob escaped her throat. She couldn't believe what was happening. A chuckle escaped Harry's mouth._

_"Only you would have the bloody **decency** to wear a fully covering bra all the time," he spat at her. Without warning he pulled the bra down to expose her breasts. He attacked them, much the same as he had her neck and shoulders._

_"No!!!" she screamed when he bit down especially hard._

_"Ron," Harry said as he came up from his job of bruising her, "shut her up." Ron's lips crashed on Hermione's from his upside down position. He bit her top lip and she sobbed harder. Harry was once again attacking her upper body._

_Hermione was totally aware of Harry's hand, which was creeping beneath her skirt. She tried to close her legs more forcefully but Harry's weight on them was too much and she couldn't. _

_Hermione shut her eyes tightly and waited for something to happen. Just as Harry's hand had reached the edge of her panties, a voice broke in._

_"What do you think you're doing?!" the voice said from the edge of the bookcases. Hermione's eyes shot open. It hadn't sounded like Madame Pince, but she hoped it was. She looked over, and there stood Draco._

_Ron stood up and faced him, stumbling slightly. Hermione took this opportunity to cover her exposed upper body._

_"We're just having a little fun with Hermione, now if you'll just **go** you bloody ferret, we'll finish."_

_"It doesn't look to me like Hermione's having that much fun," he said as he looked her in the eyes, which were wide with fear._

_"What did you just call her?" Harry asked quietly as he stood from his position on top of her. Hermione, realizing Ron's and Harry's attention was elsewhere, sat up and scooted her back towards the bookshelf._

_"I called her Hermione. That is her name," Draco responded cockily._

_"You have no right to call her by her name **Malfoy**," Harry spat. "You have no right to call her anything!" he bellowed. Malfoy smirked._

_"And you do? I just watched you try and rape her Potter, and I'm the one who has no right to call her anything?" he sniggered._

_"I wasn't raping her, she wanted it," he said cockily as he turned to Hermione. He glared at her. "You wanted it, didn't you?" he asked with his teeth barred. She looked from him, to Ron, to Draco. Draco was the only one who was looking at her as a real person. Ron and Harry both glared, as if daring her to disagree. Draco gave her strength._

_"I didn't want it, and you knew that," she said quietly. She looked Harry in the eyes nonetheless. His muscles tensed and he seemed about ready to pounce on her, when Draco calmly stepped in between them._

_He walked to Hermione's side and offered her his hand. She took it, being careful to keep her shirt pulled together with her other._

_"I think **Hermione** here needs to go back to the common room. I was coming to fetch her anyway. So if you two don't mind..." he said before a fist connected with his jaw, causing him to step back a few steps. He looked up into the enraged eyes of Harry Potter._

_"Don't you dare touch my girl Malfoy," he said as he jerked Hermione towards him. She instantly looked away and his attention snapped to her. "Why you..." he said. Before he could finish that sentence Draco's fist connected with Harry's stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Ron, who had been in a slight daze, reacted and charged at Draco. Draco's merely stepped out of the way, and tripped him, causing him to hit the ground face first._

_"Potter, maybe it's you who shouldn't touch **your **girl. It seems she wasn't too appreciative of it. Ready to go Hermione?" he asked as he turned to her. Tears still poured down her face. She went to grab her pack, but Draco beat her to it. "I'll carry that. You just worry about yourself, all right?" he asked. She nodded. He motioned for her to walk ahead of him, as he shouldered her pack._

_"Hermione, if you walk out that door we're finished!" Harry yelled as he held onto a chair to catch his breath. Fresh tears covered her already wet cheeks as she turned to face him._

_"Well," she said softly, "then I guess we're finished." Without another word she turned and exited the library, with Draco not far behind._

_"Are you okay?" Draco asked when they were outside. She didn't meet his gaze._

_"I'm fine. Can we just not talk about it?" she asked as she stared at the ground in front of her._

_"Whatever you want," he said. What she'd wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and hug him. She'd wanted him to hold her, and let her cry. She'd wanted him to be there for her, and be her friend. But none of that happened. _

_Instead, they walked to their dorms. He put her pack on the couch, and walked her to her room. She said goodnight, and locked the door behind her. He listened as she cried herself to sleep, and then he himself went to bed. _

_He even watched the next morning as she sat with her friends. He watched Harry and Ron sit around her and talk to her._

_He watched her nod, and smile, as they apologized. And inside, his heart broke, unbeknownst to her of course._

_If she'd sat on the opposite side of the table, she would have seen the hurt in Draco's eyes. She would have seen the way he watched her. But as it was, she was sitting between the two men who had tried to hurt her._

_"'Mione, we're really sorry. It's just... we drank a little too much," Harry'd said as he tried to pull her to him. She pulled away, but smiled as best as she could._

_"I know you were drinking too much, and I forgive you for what you did. Alcohol does that to people, but... Harry, I really don't think we were working anyway... ya know?" she asked quietly. At first, anger flashed in his emerald eyes, but was soon replaced by a sort of forced understanding._

_"You're right. Friends?" he asked as he extended his hand. She smiled as best as she could and took that hand._

_"Friends." She agreed, even though all she wanted to do was run from the room and cry once more._

End Flashback

As her memories faded Hermione felt drained. Without realizing it, tears began falling from her eyes. Within moments her head was on her arms and she was sobbing quietly.

While Draco had been looking at his muggle books, his ring had suddenly gotten very cold. He ignored it at first, thinking his hands were probably just cold, till it sent a sharp pain through his hand. He put the book down he'd been looing at and headed straight for Hermione. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he had a frightening idea. He too remembered that night nearly four years prior.

He rounded the corner half expecting to see Weasley and Potter holding her down, but instead all he saw was Hermione, surrounded by books, and crying into the sleeves of her shirt. He was at her side in an instant and pulling her towards him.

She looked startled at first, but when she saw that it was him she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest. He didn't ask why she was crying, he merely held her and rubbed her back. He scooted his body so that he was against a bookshelf and pulled her out of her seat to sit in his lap.

He rocked her back and forth gently and comforted her as best as he could. As he held her, flashes of that night popped up in his mind. The only difference was, they were from Hermione's perspective and not his own. He would ask her about that later. All he knew was, something had caused Hermione to remember that, and he didn't like it one bit.

After a few moments her sobbing ceased and she leaned back to look at him.

He smiled at her softly and wiped a few tears off her face with his thumb.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly as he cupped her face with his hand. She sniffled and bit her lip. "Was it about that night?" he asked even more softly. She bit her lip a little harder and nodded. "All right, it's over now. It's all over. I'm here now, I'll always be here, and nothing like that can ever happen again, all right?" he asked as he stared into her bloodshot chocolate eyes.

She nodded and sniffled once more. She reached up and wiped her face off. She met his eyes once more and looked away.

"What?" he asked as he brought her to face him once more. "Why did you turn away from me?" he asked sounding a little hurt. She dropped her head and looked up at him slightly.

"I must look awful, and I didn't want you to see my gross face," she replied honestly. He smiled.

"Hermione, you look beautiful," he said with a smile. She rolled her eyes and laughed a little. He took a piece of parchment and transfigured it into a tissue, before handing it to her. She took it gratefully and blew her nose. He chuckled.

"Even blowing your nose you're the most beautiful thing on this earth," he affirmed. She tried to look away again but he pulled her to face him for a second time. "And I mean that," he said more seriosuly. She smiled a little.

"Thanks," she said with a crooked little grin. He leaned forward and kissed her nose.

"Ready to wrap up all this studying?" he asked asked with smirk. She laughed and stood.

"More than ready," she replied as she offered him her hand. He took it, but didn't used it to pull himself up. Instead he stood and pretended to stumble into her. She wrapped her arms around him to keep him from falling and he smirked. She realized what he'd done and playfully smacked his chest. He only smiled and wrapped his arms around her as well. Before she knew what was happening, however, he'd picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder... again.

She shrieked happily and he carried her out of the library. They both recieved stern looks from Madame Pince, but pain them no heed. Instead, they both laughed all the way to the common room, where he finally sat her down.

For some unkown reason, when he sat her down a very uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"So," he said as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"So," she replied as she looked up at him.

"Um... so... remember that talk we had this morning?" he asked as he bit the bullet. Her heart began to beat faster.

"Yeah," she said as she looked at him expectantly.

"Well, um... I was wondering if maybe we could... have a sleepover," he finished lamely. She broke into a smile and kissed him lightly. His muscles loosened. And he smiled as well.

"I'd love to... on one condition," she said suddenly serious.

"Anything," he replied with an equally serious tone.

"No funny business... at least... not yet, ok?" she asked with hopeful eyes. He smiled as he pulled her into an embrace.

"No funny business," he agreed as he kissed her hair. She sighed into his chest, and thought of how lucky she'd become.

**A/N -- Okay... no talent show. I'm sorry! But I had to do the flashback!! This way you know what went on. Harry and Herms dated, Ron loved Herms (still does probably), they were drunk and tried to take advantage, Draco saves the day, but gets no reward (till the end of that school year anyway), and they become friends again... sort of... it'll be better explained later, the aftermath of that incident will anyway. **

**Next chapter will be the talent show, I promise! Now go review guys and gals!!!!!**


	11. The Talent Show

A/N Okay, so I have no excuse. I abandoned ff.n and with it this fanfic… HOWEVER, I hope that by continuing with it now I may get some new readers… keep in mind that the previous ten chapters were written years ago, and thus will probably read a little different than the following chapters. Hopefully you'll still enjoy it and maybe, someone, somewhere out there will R&R! And now, almost two years after my last post, _the talent show_!

Disclaimer – If it weren't for Ms. JK Rowling, and the amazing band Relient K, this chapter would not exist… therefore I only take credit for the meager plot and give all the rest of the credit to them.

Chapter 11 "The Talent Show" 

Draco took Hermione's hand and gently led her up the stairs. He made to go directly to his room, but she stopped and he looked at her quizzically.

"Pajamas," she stated simply and he nodded.

"Don't take too long, okay?" he asked, and she smiled.

"A woman has the right to take as much time as she needs getting ready," she said with a smirk worthy of any Malfoy. He only sniggered.

"Not when you're getting ready for bed!" he exclaimed, but she only crossed her arms over her chest and gave up. "Fine, fine. Take as long as you need," he said with a smile. Hermione dropped her arms and leaned up to kiss his nose lightly. "I thought I told you the whole nose-kissing thing was my job?" She laughed and kissed his nose again.

"And I thought I told _you_ that I liked doing it so I am going to continue to do it." He only laughed. She turned suddenly and bounded into her room. Closing the door behind her she heard his soft laughter as he entered his own room and shut the door as well.

With a sigh Hermione looked around her room. With a great sense of nostalgia she'd done it the same way it had been done during her seventh year. The carpet was offwhite and the walls were pale olive green. Looking around it was easy to imagine that she was only 17 again.

She stripped her clothing quickly, because despite her need to torture Draco a little with the thought of having to wait on her she wanted to get in there as soon as she could. Using her wand she accio'd her black soccer shorts (that were, as mentioned, really much too short to be soccer shorts) and light blue ribbed A-shirt. After dressing she took her hair down and let it fall across her back. It almost reached her elbows. She knew Draco liked it down, all though she couldn't' imagine why. It was just a mass of tangled brown curls that never did what they were supposed to do.

Just as she was about to leave she spun and grabbed a bottle of Raspberry Vanilla body spray off of her nightstand and spritzed herself once with it. Satisfied, she opened her door and walked quickly to Draco's. It was still closed, so she knocked.

"Who's there?" he asked in a comical voice. She shook her head.

"Hermione," she answered, hand on her hip.

"Hermione who?" he responded. His voice sounded much closer now and she knew he was standing just on the other side of the door.

"The Hermione you only fifteen minutes ago asked to come and have a sleepover," she said haughtily. The door swung open to reveal a Draco who was very much ready for bed.

"Oh _that_ Hermione," he said with a smile. He stood back and, with a sweep of his arm, beckoned her into his room. She wasn't surprised to see the same dark walls and bed that had been there during their seventh year. The sight was comforting.

She turned to face him after surveying the room briefly and took a second to appraise his attire. He was wearing gold knee length balls shorts with a black tee shirt on which the sleeves had been cut off.

"You have very blonde leg hair," she noted with a crooked smile. His cheeks flushed a little, but he met her smile with a smirk.

"So you do you!" he said with raised eyebrows, and she instantly leaned over to see if she needed to make some more hair removal potion. He laughed out right. She stood to face him.

"That wasn't funny," she said, trying to become annoyed with him and failing miserably.

"Yes it was," he said as he closed the door behind him and walked past her. Without another word he plopped onto his bed, reclined against a pillow, and put his arms above his head. "Well?" he asked. His tone and smile were casual, but Hermione could tell that it was forced. He was nervous.

Taking a deep breath Hermione made her way to the other side of the bed. She bit her lip nervously as she sat down, leaving her legs hanging over the side. Without warning two strong arms closed about her waist and pulled her across the bed. She laughed a little as Draco pulled her so that she was half laying on top of him, her back on his chest.

"Ya know," he said quietly as he held her there, her hair tickling his face, "I think I could get used to this." She laughed quietly. Carefully, so as to not hurt him with her elbows or knees, Hermione managed to move so that she was lying fully ontop of him, and she flipped so that her stomach was against his. Her hair was hanging around her face and she flipped it so that it was only one side as she propped her hands above his shoulders.

With a quirky smile she said, "Me too."

Draco stared up at her, and his breath caught in his throat. Hermione had no idea how amazingly sexy she looked right then. She wasn't even trying, but the way she was laying was so erotic that his mouth felt dry.

"What?" she asked, seeing the strange expression on his face. Her smile fell, afraid she did something wrong. She moved to get off of him, but his hands on her waist stopped her.

"Please don't move," he said softly and she nodded.

"Well, tell me what's wrong," she said just as softly. He laughed quietly.

"Wrong?" he asked with a quirk of his lip, "I can't honestly say at this moment in my life Hermione that _nothing_ is wrong. Absolutely everything is perfect." Without giving her time to explain Draco used his grip on her waist to pull her down to him. She easily complied, but before she could lay her head down on his chest he captured her lips.

Given their current positioning Draco assumed their kiss would turn heated, and he was fully ready to respect her wish and not let any "funny business" ensue until she was ready. However this was not the case.

Their kiss was passionate, yes, but it wasn't heated. Each movement of their lips was slow and deep. He felt her hands creep up into his hair, and felt her fingers tangle themselves in the strands. In return he let his own hands wander just a little. He rubbed her back, up and down, enjoying the feeling of her body pressed against his. He let his hands move under the curls of her hair, and was happy to see that she'd left it down for him.

What seemed like hours later, their kisses stopped. Hermione once again leaned up and looked down at him. The way she felt for him was burning in her eyes, and he only hoped that she could see his feelings as well.

"Well," she said, suddenly sounding very shy, "goodnight Draco." He smiled, knowing that this time he said goodnight he wouldn't have to watch her walk away.

"Goodnight love," he said in return. With a flick of his wand, which he retrieved from the nightstand, the lantern in the room was extinguished. Hermione let herself gently fall onto his chest again, her hair as it hit him set a poof of air over his face, and his senses were enveloped with the scent of Raspberries. He inhaled deeply and then sighed.

The next few days were a blur of activity. Each day the four alumnists went to classrooms and observed their former teachers. Harry and Ron didn't provoke them anymore, but there was lots of knowing smiles thrown their way, and that in and of itself was more disturbing than the insults and sneers. Hermione didn't seem to notice, but Draco did and he made sure to stay with her whenever they weren't in their common room.

A/N – skip to talent show. Sorry, I can't think of any filler stuff.

"Draco," Hermione said with wide eyes as she clutched his sleeve. They were standing backstage. Her hands where she grabbed him were shaking and her breath was faster than it should have been. Draco laughed lightly and let his arm fall over her shoulders. He hugged her to him and kissed her curls.

"You'll be fine love," he said as he held her trembling form against his side.

There was generous applause as McGonnagal walked around the curtain from the stage. She was smiling. Going with what she knew she'd transformed into her cat self and back numerous times, in mid air and on a stool. The younger students had been awed.

"Your turn Mister Malfoy," Professor McGonnagal said with a small smile and Hermione squeaked in fear. He chuckled and kissed her head one more time.

"Don't forget to watch me, okay?" he said and she nodded, her eyes still wide with fear.

"Now, I would like to introduce the first of our assistant teachers," Professor Dumbledore's magically magnified voice said, "Mister Draco Malfoy!" Draco smiled roguishly down at Hermione.

"Watch," he whispered into her hair, before releasing her and walking onto the stage with a strut worthy of his Malfoy name.

"Mister Malfoy, what are you going to be doing for us?" Dumbledore's voice rang out. Hermione sped to the edge of the curtain on the side and peered around. Draco took out his wand and put it to his throat, muttering the charm that would magnify his voice.

"Well sir," he said with a charming smile, "I thought I'd sing something from a muggle band that I'm quite fond of." Hermione saw Dumbledore, on the side of the stage, smile and nod once.

Draco turned and smiled right at Hermione, who blushed. She couldn't help but notice how odd, and yet somehow right, he looked. His jeans were dark blue, with rips in the knees, and extremely tight. His Chuck Taylor's were clearly visible at the hems of his pants which hugged his ankles. He'd kept his shirt simple, a black tee shirt with white birds in the upper righthand corner. His hair was expertly messed up and fell into his eyes.

"Would it be all right with everyone if I were to invite someone out here on the stage with me?" He winked at Hermione. The crowd applauded. "Miss Granger," he said, sauntering with a wide grin towards her. Hermione started to back away with a panicked look, and when Draco saw this he laughed and jogged to get her. He took her hand, and she tried pulling away. At this Draco only laughed harder and pulled her to the center of the stage where the magical spot light was. He put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'd like to dedicate this song, which I assure you will be amazing, to Miss Granger," he said with a wink and a few of the older girls started giggling and holding onto each other. The sight made Hermione smile, despite the giant butterflies threatening to burst from her stomach.

"This is a song by Relient K called, My Girl's Ex-Boyfriend," he said, with a quick glance at Harry, who stood beside the stage. Draco took out his wand and flicked it once. Speakers appeared on either side of the stage, and with another flick the music began to say. He took a step back from Hermione, making sure to hold onto her hand. He squeezed it and began to sing.

_When he was seeing her_

_He could see he had his doubts _

_Now he's missing her because _

_You know hes missing out_

_Now its haunting him _

_The memorizes like a ghost_

_and he's so terrorified _

_Cause no one else even comes close _

_He's a guy that you should feel sorry for_

_He had the world but he thought that he wanted more_

_I owe it all to the mistake that he made back then_

_I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend _

_So then, along comes me, _

_This undeserving mess(undeserving mess)_

_Who would believe my life_

_Would be so blessed(life would be so blessed)_

_Two years ago _

_He left all that to breath(left all that to breath)_

_Who would of known _

_It would be everything I need_

_He's a guy that you should feel sorry for_

_He had the world but he thought that he wanted more_

_I owe it all to the mistake that he made back then_

_I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend _

_If it wasn't for him _

_I would still be searching_

_If it wasn't for him_

_I wouldn't know my best friend_

_If it wasn't for him_

_He would be able to see_

_If it wasn't for him_

_He would be as happy as me_

_She and I settled down you can bet_

_Fatty is going to have to settle for less_

_He's someone that I would hate to be_

_I got the girl and he's left with just the memory._

_He's a guy that you should feel sorry for_

_He had the world but he thought that he wanted more_

_I owe it all to the mistake that he made back then_

_I owe it all to my girl's ex-boyfriend _

_If it wasn't for him _

_I would still be searching_

_If it wasn't for him_

_I wouldn't know my best friend_

_If it wasn't for him_

_He would be able to see_

_If it wasn't for him_

_He would be as happy as me_

The whole time Draco sang he held Hermione's hand. At one point he pulled her close and spun her around, making her hair spin out and making her laugh. She put her hand to her chest as she fought the urge to cry or laugh with mirth. When the song ended applause erupted. Little girls were screaming.

Hermione didn't hear any of this. She was standing there, her hand still over her chest staring at Draco. He beamed at her, before bowing once towards the crowd. With a final wave he led Hermione off stage. When they were safely behind the curtain Hermione threw arms around Draco's neck with a tiny shriek.

He laughed and picked her up so that he was standing upright. She hung there in his arms, and bent her knees so that her calves were parallel to the floor. She buried her head in his neck. He laughed until he felt a warm wetness where her head rested.

"Hermione?" he questioned, and she pulled her head back to look at him. Tears were leaking from her eyes, but she was smiling fully. He looked concerned, but his fears were quickly dashed when she pressed her lips against his. She pulled away a little too quickly for his taste and he couldn't help but smile.

"That was wonderful," she breathed as she put her face against the side of his. "Just… wonderful." His smile widened. She put her head back on his shoulder and kissed his neck once. Chill bumps erupted all over his body. She pulled her head away and looked at him, her lips quirked. Her tears were gone. "Thank you," she said and he only nodded. She leaned forward and captured his lips again.

More applause sounded from the other side of the curtain.

"Will Miss Granger please come onto the stage?" Dumbledore's voice said. Hermione smiled into Draco's mouth before releasing her hands from around his neck and falling to the ground.

"Wish me luck," she said with a smile before walking purposefully onto the stage with a swagger and a playful wink back at Draco. He moved so that he could see her act, and while he watched her conjure fireworks worthy of Fred and George's, all he could think about was that kiss on his neck and how thrilling such a small act had been.


End file.
